Siren's call
by Jaguarin
Summary: Slash-fic. The worst enemy of the birds it's back, and surprised a confused Huntress.
1. Chapter 1

**SIREN'S CALL**

**By: Jag – Edited bt: Nightstorm**

**Well, this is my second attempt to write a slash fic, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks Night my dear editor for the beta thing,**

* * *

New Gotham. Dr. Quinzel's office at night.

The blonde paced in her office; waiting. She smiled to herself. Things were flowing in a marvellous way. All of her dreams could come true. She would be soon the queen of the underworld; she would soon rule the dark streets. She just needed to think carefully about her next step.

She stood up at the window; extending her arms out from her sides she said to herself, smiling, "Yes."

Yes, she had done it. Her plan was perfect, masterful, no one could stop her and the best part of all… her worst enemy would die soon in the hands of her best friend.

A triumphant grin materialized on her face as she sat on her desk and looked around. The place was a mess. Papers littered the floor and Gibson could be heard muttering furiously to himself. But... who cared?

"...Lumbar, the coccyx. 26. Pop the head. Squeeze! Watch your back, watch your back!" he yelled.

The sound of the door unlocking caught her attention. Helena walked into the office and closed the door behind her. The girl was gorgeous. Before she could say a word, the brunette spoke.

"Barbara knows." She walked toward Harley.

That definitely was not good. "What happened?"

"I hit her. Hard."

"That would tend to give it away."

"But I got what you wanted." The brunette took out a disk. "The complete blueprint of the clock tower - layouts, defenses, securities, computer systems. It's all gibberish."

They both turned to look at Gibson who is sitting cross-legged on the floor in the center of a mess.

"90 Newton pounds per square inch angled at the jaw line renders 50 of the female population unconscious, as defined by the obliteration of a friendship!"

"Gibson ... shut up," the blonde said. She turned to look her new friend. "Tell me something, Helena. Why didn't you just kill Barbara?"

"Kill her?" the brunette took a few seconds before answering. "I don't know."

"Superheroes don't kill, no matter how hard they hit their Barbara." He made a whooshing sound and threw the doll across the room. "Incoming—headless best friend!"

He laid on his side and covered his head with his arms. Helena turned to look at Harley.

"Maybe it's because you didn't tell me to."

"An oversight on my part-- which we'll soon remedy." Quinzel moved closer to her, lifting her hands and caressed the leather lapels of her coat. The material was soft... curious that a rough girl could evolve such soft skin. Her eyes locked on the brunette's. She was damn beautiful, a strange and magnetic mix of danger and softness. "But meanwhile..." she whispered, "I think we can have some fun…" She pulled Helena against her and kissed her softly on her lips.

Gibson covered his eyes with his hands, muttering, "Superheroes don't kill their Barbara, superheroes don't kill their Barbara."

Harleen moved back, smiling. The brunette was still, her eyes fixed on her former therapist.

"Why did you do that?" Helena asked.

"Because you are my pet now," Quinzel grinned, tracing the young woman's lips with her index finger, "and I can do whatever I want with you."

"Superhero betrayed by her friend!" Gibson shouted.

Harleen rolled her eyes, having him there was killing any chance for romance. She turned and glared at him.

"Gibson, shut up and go away. I will not need your services for a few hours."

"Superheroes love their Barbara. Incoming: heartless best frien," he said, playing nervously with his fingers.

"Gibson, I said go...Now."

He crawled and went toward the door, stopping to look back. He found the cold glaze of Quinzel. This time he left, without stopping to close the door behind him.

The blonde smiled and moved her hands below Huntress' coat. "Now, where were we?" she said slipping it off slowly.

Her eyes twirled with madness, confused blue eyes were trapped by them. "What... what are you doing?"

The answer was a rough kiss that surprised the brunette. Quinzel put her right hand behind her neck and pressed her against the desk.

After a few seconds, she stepped back, smiling. "That was good... but you must be more cooperative..." She cleared the items on the desk with a grand sweep of her hand, uncaring that everything crashed to the floor. "You are doing an excellent job, Helena, but you need to rest now and have some of fun."

"Fun?"

"Yes… with me... " She pushed Helena down gently, against the desk.

The young woman felt the hard wood against her back.

Quinzel leaned over her smiling. "You just need to let things happen." The petite woman caressed her lips with her finger. "You just need to accept it." She kissed her softly.

After long seconds, she threw her head back and laughed, removing her short grey suit before tossing it to the floor. She leaned over the young woman again, shuddering at the contact of her naked skin against leather, belly against belly, breast against breast. Her tongue traced Helena's ear. "Accept… and pleasure me…" she whispered, taking Helena's hand and moving it over her breast. "Touch me…"

The brunette cupped the soft mound with her fingers and pressed lightly.

"Yes, that's it…" the blonde closed her eyes and sighed. "I want to feel your hands on me, your mouth on me… I want all of you." She leaned over and trapped the young woman's lips again.

Huntress parted her lips. Quinzel's tongue was rough and moved aggressively, taking.

"Helena..."

Taking her.

"Helena..."

"Helena..."

The brunette jerked abruptly. "Don't touch me!"

Barbara grabbed her wrist. Thank goodness for her years of training as a crime fighter. If Helena had caught her, she would be lying on the floor with a black bruise on her eye.

"Hey, easy…" she said fixing her eyes on her. The brunette still seemed to be lost in her dream.

Helena tried to pull her hand back, but Barbara held the grip.

"Helena, it's me."

The young woman blinked and recognized her mentor. "Barbara?"

"Yes, are you okay?"

Helena didn't answer; her eyes were feral and her muscles tensed.

"We are at home." The redhead slowly released the girl's wrist and looked at her worriedly; she had been working at the Delphi and Helena had fallen asleep on the couch watching TV; she was in the kitchen looking for some tea when she'd heard the soft whimpers of her protégé in the living room. She wheeled inside and immediately recognized that Helena was having a nightmare. After so many years of sharing the same home, she had learned to read the young woman like a book… of course, some chapters were restricted… Helena still kept some pages to herself, which had not helped much in trying to understand her.

Barbara put her hand on her cheek, but the brunette moved her head back. "Easy…" she said, "It's me."

The young woman closed her eyes trying to organize her thoughts. What a dream. It was so real. She could almost taste Quinzel on her lips; feel her hands roaming over her body with a frenzy. She shivered.

Barbara noticed it, she leaned forward, looking for blue eyes. "Was it about that night?"

"About… that night…" Puzzled, feral eyes darted up. "What?"

"Your nightmare…."

"Oh…. that, don't worry… I'm okay…" Helena's eyes slowly turned back to violet.

"Sure, and I'm blonde. Drink this." Barbara gave her some tea and turned off the TV. "It will help you more than me."

"It's yours…"

"I have more water on the stove, don't worry."

"Thanks." Helena sipped a bit of the warm tea.

The redhead waited a few seconds before speaking again. "Want to talk about it?"

"Talk?"

"About your nightmare."

"Oh… Don't worry, I'm fine…" she smiled lightly. When she saw the brow of her mentor lift, she knew she wasn't fooling her and added: "…really, it was just a nightmare."

"Okay, if you say so." The redhead sighed. When Helena closed herself off to the world, it was impossible try to talk with her. It was best to change the subject. "Want some cookies?"

"No… thanks." Helena sipped her tea.

Barbara wheeled back and spun her chair toward the kitchen. "I'll be downstairs," she said. "We'll start your sweeps in a half hour. Is that okay for you?"

"Yea…" she listened to the sound of the electric chair wheeling toward the kitchen and closed her eyes.

It had started a few weeks ago; the same nightmare was occurring more frequently. It was so real.

She felt sick. How could she possibly think of Quinzel in that way?

She shook her head and stood up. It was not good to think so much. Barbara would realize something was going on and start to ask questions that she couldn't answer.

"I'll need these books," Barbara said, placing the rather tall stack on the counter at New Gotham's library.

"Did you bring a truck to carry them?" the clerk asked, amused, as she noticed the quantity of books she was taking with her.

"Yes, Joanna, don't worry." The redhead smiled and handed over her library card. "I'm always prepared for these things."

"All right, give me a second."

Barbara nodded and checked her watch; she was on time, she had a lunch with her father; her usual bimonthly lunch… He had insisted on it. One day, he told her that her whole life was spent locked inside the Clock Tower orat the school, so she had proposed go to lunch with him twice per month.

Helena came to her mind. She enjoyed the meals she shared with Helena. The brunette was usually fun and all had a way of making her bad moods disappear, a very different person from Huntress she was at night. Once they were seated at the table, she couldn't stop looking at the young woman and listening to her.

Helena was a really smart girl and she could talk about any topic. She had discovered that in their first years together. She had been aware that Helena was intelligent, but lazy. However, the depth and breadth of Helena's knowledge had surprised her when thye'd first started having long talks. Selina really did an excellent job of teaching Helena culture, history, art…

Helena, her stubborn and grumpy protégée who had become an important part of her life. Helena, who had become her main support, her best friend. Helena, the person who always was present in her mind.

She had rediscovered the pleasure of those long talks during the lunches they had at the Clock Tower… At least, until a few weeks ago, when Helena had changed her attitude toward her. She still wondered what was happening with her, but as usual, Helena didn't want to talk, she just avoided the topic.

"I think we're finished," Dinah said, leaning back in her chair.

The blonde reached and took her friend's notebook to read.

"Yea," Gabby said. "I think this is pretty cool."

Both girls were studying in New Gotham High School's library after a long day of classes.

"I'll work on this on my computer tonight." Dinah turned her head and noticed her mentor at the library desk, signing some papers. There were a ton of books to her right. Dinah smiled, no matter how advanced technology was, the pleasure of reading a book was something Barbara always enjoyed.

"Well, gotta go." Dinah picked up her things. "Do you want to come?"

"No, I need to look for Jenny. Want to come with us? We're going to lunch."

"Uhm… no, thanks… Barbara spends almost all day working at home or here and I think it would be good to get her out of her routine a bit."

"Is she okay?" Gabby asked hesitant "After… after all..?"

Dinah sighed. "Yes, she is, she is dealing with it, but she's always obsessed with work. And, after what happened, became even more obsessed. She spends all day behind books and computers." She noticed her mentor putting her books in her lap. "Bye Gabby."

"Have fun."

The teen arranged her jeans, picked her school bag and, with her notebook in hand, ran to reach her mentor.

"Hi Barbara."

The older woman turned her head and smiled, surprised to see her protégée.

"Dinah… hi, what are you doing here?"

"Research with Gabby. We already finished."

The redhead leaned back a bit and saw the blonde at a library desk; she waved a hand toward her.

"Science and technology…" Dinah explained, "Numbers, you know…"

"Good. Why you didn't you use the computer at home? It's easy and faster." Barbara wheeled toward the exit.

"Oh well, you know," she explained, following, "Superheroes need a normal life, too, and sometimes acting like normal people is helpful in understanding human beings. Well, you are human, but teens act in different ways and have different reactions."

Barbara lifted an eyebrow as she turned to look at the young woman.

"I'm joking," the teen laughed. "It's just that I like to be with my friends."

"Oh, that sounds much better."

"What is that?" The teen pointed at the books in her mentor's lap.

"English literature, I need my students to work on this." They moved toward the parking lot. "And some books for me."

"Are you going home? I need a ride."

"No, it's Wednesday."

"Oh, I forgot, your usual lunch."

"Yes, want to join us?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, if it doesn't offend you that a human being is driving."

"Well… that can be fixed if I drive."

"No way."

"Come on, Barbara."

"Take it or…."

"All right, all right." The teen rolled her eyes.

The dark haired woman hid in the shadows, crouching on the cornice of a tall building, looking down. After her usual shift at the Dark Horse Bar, she ran a sweep of the underground, having a 'nice' talk with some thugs…. well, not exactly nice for them. She convinced them to talk after a few black eyes and punches; she was now keeping vigil on what seemed be the hideout of a dangerous drug gang. Oracle had asked her to keep an eye on the hidden storage close to New Gotham bay.

The night was cold. A snowflake fell on her nose. That was just great.

The memories of the weird dream from the night before came to her mind. She played with her tongue inside her cheek, thinking about it. Quinzel's touches were so present in her mind. Even now, a day later, she could still almost feel her lips on her… she shivered and shook her head.

That was gross.

Barbara, yes, but Quinzel? Yuck!!

Those dreams about her lying with Quinzel were making her crazy. It had started a month ago; and it was always the same, Quinzel taming her in an inexplicable way, she couldn't refuse to her touches and caresses. It pissed her off. What was wrong with her? Why was she dreaming about a woman that made her feel sick? That she hated so much?

She couldn't understand it. She fantasized about her mentor all the time, imaging how it would feel to kiss her lips, caress her hands, touch her skin and lose her soul in tastes and touches. She was strong and independent, yet at the same time, tender and sweet.

Barbara was the only person to whom her heart belonged. She had loved her for so long.

After her mother's death, she became cold and violent. Many people were afraid of her, except Barbara. She had never shown any fear; she and her mother were the only ones who never showed fear.

She respected Barbara for it, for her courage to live and keep going despite her own limitations. Her feelings of anger turned into admiration and, eventually,… to love. She could talk with her for hours and hours and, when the day was over, she still wanted to keep talking; she was never bored with her.

She could be with her for hours without saying a word and that was okay, too.

What would it feel like to be loved by that wonderful, smart, intellectual, funny and beautiful redhead?

She loved to watch her work at the Delphi or at the kitchen table with tons of books and papers hiding her marvelous green eyes. Eyes that hid behind glasses, but eyes that were so sensual.

Who would imagine that watching someone at work could be so arousing?

Just her.

At first, she thought it was just a crush, but after years, she discovered it wasn't just a crush, it was real love.

The kind of love where you feel butterflies in your stomach and your heart beats so loud when you are near that person. So loud that she was afraid others could hear it beating. The kind of love where you feel your heart bleeding, if you can't see or talk that person.

Crap.

She was corny.

Great, the terror of criminals, the princess of the night, was as corny as any stupid teenager in love.

Corny and pathetic.

She sighed.

Pathetic or not, she still felt excited thinking that when she finished sweeps, she would go back to the Clock Tower and be with Barbara again; she was happy just knowing she was close to her, maybe not thinking, not talking, but in the same place. That was enough for her.

But now, those dreams brought back the memory that she failed Barbara. They made her feel guilty, so guilty that she had avoided being at the Clock Tower the last few weeks; except for yesterday when she finished her shift at the bar early and fell asleep on the couch, waiting for sweeps.

She still couldn't remember what had happened during the long twenty four hours that she had been under Quinn's spell. Since the night that she'd taken Gibson to Harleen's office thinking –stupidly- that she was a friend and would help him… until the night that she was roughly awakened and found herself on the floor of Gibson's bar.

She saw Barbara under her. Disoriented, she got to her feet, Barbara was on her own, that was not good.

"_W__hat's going on? What am I doing here?" s__he asked looking around, trying to understand__. The last thing she remembered was being at Quinzel's office and then… nothing._

"_Short version? Dr. Quinzel hypnotized you," the redhead answered rubbing her head._

_Helena felt a cold chill on her back._

"…_She's the big bad we've been searching for." _

_The brunette blinked, trying to organize her thoughts. "D -did we just…" she was afraid to ask "um…. did we just fight?" _

" _Yeah."_

_Dammit, it was wrong, it was all wrong. The consequences could be terrible._

"_I could have killed you,__" she whispered in realization. _

"_It was a calculated risk, but I had to get close enough so I could fire this directly into your eyes."_

"_Hey! Hello?" Dinah called from__ inside the elevator._

"_Yeah -- little help? This thing's jammed," Reese explained._

_Helena opened the wooden door and wiped her hands, thinking, trying to understand._

"_I don't remember anything. Last thing I know, I was at Dr. Quinzel's with Gibson."_

"_And then you were in the Clock Tower."_

_Helena turned and looked away for a moment, she was ashamed by her behavior and that she couldn't even remember. What the hell could she have done in Quinzel's hands? She didn't want to think about it._

"_Helena, try to remember." Barbara asked her, "What is Quinzel up to?"_

And still, after so many months, she still couldn't remember. It pissed her off. Couldn't remember if she had hurt people… or killed.

She had almost killed Barbara that night. She would die for her, she had wished desperately to trade her life for Wade's and allow the redhead to finally be happy...

But she couldn't change things.

She hadn't been capable of saving the man Barbara loved. The feeling of guilt over all that happened was a heavy weight that she would carry on her shoulders forever. It was a weight that was so hard to carry, despite all her meta-human strength, because she carried with it, Barbara's pain.

The pain that his death had caused.

Why had life been so cruel with her mentor? She saved people, stopped criminals and the price was so unfair.

Quinzel had been in jail six months since then. The frikin' bitch was obsessed with Barbara and hurt her. The Joker had taken so much already and they still wanted more… screwing up her life hadn't been enough ...and now she was dreaming about having sex with the crazy woman.

What the hell was going on?

"Huntress…"

The brunette jumped, startled when she heard her name. "Crap! Dinah!" She growled, turning her head.

"What?" the teen giggled.

"What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" Dinah crossed her arms and smirked. "Helloooo… I'm patrolling with you. Remember?"

"I mean…" the brunette babbled "…here? You should be on the other block. Not here."

"Oracle sent me here. She said it would be better if we stay together. Didn't you hear her?"

"Uhm… no?"

**:**Huntress, Dinah, any movement?**:** They heard their mentor's voice over the comm.

"No, Oracle," the blonde responded. "Looks like the bad guys took the day off."

"I don't think so…" Huntress said, narrowing her eyes and looking down "Look, I don't think they're going to the movies."

Several men walked out of the building with rifles and weapons. Dinah crouched down and fixed her eyes on the dark street.

"What do you think? Talk to them and see what's going on?"

"I never talk to anyone with a gun in his hand. Let's go," the brunette said, jumping down.

Dinah rolled her eyes and ran toward the stairway. "Has she always been so impatient? Isn't that supposed to be me? I'm the youngest here."

**:**She's always been my karma.**:** Oracle said, amused.

"Yes, but why must she be mine?"

**:**Focus on the fight, discussions later. **:**

"All right, but I'm working under protest."

**:**Come on, kid.**:** Huntress' voice interrupted **:**You are missing all the fun here.**:**

"I'm coming, I'm coming."

Huntress dropped into the middle of four men.

"Hey guys.. having a nice day?"

She kicked the first man and hit the second one. Bending over she avoided a punch and used her legs to sweep the feet of the third man. She looked for the fourth guy, but he was running. Suddenly, he bounced back and hit the floor.

"What the hell?" Huntress groaned.

"It's called invisible shield," Dinah said stepping next to her, "Pretty cool, eh?"

"Incredibly creative name. Right up there with 'liquid guy'…We have more guests coming to the party," the brunette responded, noticing five more guys appearing at the back of the warehouse.

"Well… time to work."

"What do you think we've being doing?"

A laser hit a pillar next to them, breaking it in pieces. Both girls threw themselves to the floor.

"That wasn't a normal gun," Dinah said.

"No kidding."

The sound of firing weapons filled the place. Both women hid behind some metal boxes.

**:**What's going on?**:** Oracle asked worriedly, when she heard the unmistakable sound of discharging guns.

"Seems they didn't like our visit," Huntress answered. "Oracle, these are not normal weapons. They are high-tech lasers and that stuff."

**:**I'm calling the police now.**:**

Another blast close to them destroyed a wooden box. The munitions inside of it exploded and the fire increased. Bullets were everywhere. Dinah covered herself and her partner with her shield just in time, as the box they were using as cover exploded.

"It would be a good time to call the fire department, Oracle. These stupid people don't seem to care that the place is full of weapons and munitions."

"That's not fair, we don't have guns," the blonde whined, covering her head with her hands.

"And they don't have a teenager with telekinetic powers." Huntress looked at her partner "All right, inside or outside?"

"Outside."

"Inside." The brunette jumped and ran toward the men that had started the fire and who were now trying to escape the fire in a car that had been parked in the garage.

Dinah stopped the men running outside using again her force field. Huntress engaged the group of thugs trying to escape. She easily knocked them out and then threw them out a window to get them out of the fire. Turning her head, she noticed a man far from her pointing his gun at the teen. She picked up a piece of metal on the floor and threw it at him.

The man missed the shot when the metal hit his arm. He turned his head in time to see a black shadow fall over him. Huntress hit him roughly in his jaw with her elbow and he fell backwards.

Dinah finished with the last man and turned around in time to see Helena knocking the out thug. She didn't see the guy hiding in the shadow behind her partner.

He lifted a big rifle and hit Huntress over the head with the butt of the gun.

"Huntress!" she shouted, but it was too late.

The brunette turned in on herself and fell heavily to the floor, knocked out by the force of the impact. He had used the rifle like a baseball bat on her. Dinah noticed the man didn't hesitate and again lifted his weapon to hit her.

"I'll spill your brains out!!" he growled, using all his strength to hit the unconscious girl's head.

He hit his target again -- but it was weird. He didn't hear or feel the sound of a skull breaking, or see blood spilling everywhere. He raised the weapon and hit her again on her head.

Nothing happened.

"What the f…?"

"Hi, remember me?" Dinah's voice made him turn. The young girl had a hand extended toward her partner, she had covered her with the aptly named invisible shield to prevent the man from killing her. "Has anyone told you that cowards attack from behind the back?"

She moved her other hand, pushing the man against some wooden boxes that fell on top of him. The last thug was knocked out.

"Oracle, we're all clear," she said, running toward her partner, "but Huntress is out and the place is on fire."

**:**What happened? **:**

"A thug wanted to beat her brains out… he hit her really hard…" The blonde put her hand over the back of her friend's head and felt a sticky warmth. She recognized the sensation immediately: Blood.

**:**Is it a bad injury?**:**

"She will need a bandage, maybe stitches... it's bleeding. We need to get out of here…" Dinah looked around, the place could explode in any moment. There were many weapons and lots of ammunition inside the boxes surrounding them. "I need your help here, Oracle."

**:**I'm working on it.**:**

Dinah heard a sound over her, a piece of ceiling was falling. She covered them with her force field. The pieces of the ceiling hit the force field and she felt the floor cracking under her.

"Dammit!"

**:**What's wrong, Dinah?**:**

The blonde just hugged Helena as the floor collapsed under her feet.

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED...


	2. Chapter 2

THanks for your revies... Love it!! And thanks again to my edito Nightstalker!!

* * *

The mouth that was on her was possessive… consuming her. She was used to being the aggressive one, but, in this case, she felt like bird trapped by a hawk. She heard the zipper of her coat opening, the sound of her shirt ripping, a hot demanding mouth surrounding her naked breast. She arched her back and almost jumped when she felt fingers caressing her labia.

When had she opened her pants? The hand was cupping her sex.

She gasped for air and tried to push the woman above her. "I…" Helena whispered, trying to gain control, she was confused. The woman was Quinzel. It was weird, why she wasn't breaking her neck rather than just fucking her over the desk in her office?

The blonde read the confusion in her eyes and cupped the back of her head with a strong hand forcing Helena to look at her. "Look at me, Helena…"

Her eyes focused on her former therapist's face. She was smiling at her. Again, she felt trapped in those strange eyes. Suddenly, she couldn't focus on anything, just on those mad eyes and on the soft, hypnotic voice of the woman.

Quinzel placed her hand between the brunette's legs. The girl jumped slightly at the touch; her body was starting to feel like it was on fire. The blonde began stroking, at first ever so gently, her middle finger moved in circles, increasing and decreasing in diameter. Quinzel smiled to herself when the brunette drew in a deep breath. Her index finger kept moving, increasing and decreasing the pressure on the young woman's most sensitive area.

Helena could smell Quinzel's excitement. Her hands moved down, to the blonde's pants. Quinzel laughed and stopped her hands, Helena was not in control, not this time; she trapped the hand between her own and leaned to kiss her fingers softly.

"No, dear, I'm in charge here." It was time to claim her, to show her that she was hers. "You like this. You are enjoying this, you want this." The blonde stuck out her tongue and nibbled the upper curve of the dark woman's ear, enjoying the hollow of that curvature. Then, she moved her hand inside the soft underwear.

Helena's breathing became shallower; she closed her eyes enjoying the sensation of those tender fingers touching her. The brunette began to move her hips in rhythm with the hand caressing her. She wanted more and moved her arms around the back of the petite woman, holding her against her.

"You are mine." Quinzel said softly and touched Helena's clit with her thumb. The touch was electric, Helena's mind was filled with flashes and lights. "Don't forget it… you are mine, Helena."

The brunette gasped and bucked looking for more contact with those thin fingers. "Please…" she whispered, holding the blonde against her tightly.

"Say it, Helena…" Quinzel licked the outline of her mouth. Her thumb moved in circles around the sensitive organ, her fingers played with her lower lips, taunting her entrance "I want hear to it from your lips, you want me inside you… say it…"

She wanted this…

She wanted her.

"Please…" Helena gasped and arched her back.

"Tell me you want it, and I'll give it to you, my little kitty." Quinzel whispered in her ear. "Give yourself to me…"

"Please… inside me…"

Helena growled when she felt the sudden pressure of fingers filling her and turned her head to find the other woman's lips.

* * *

Sunday.

The redhead pushed her eyeglasses up her nose. She wondered why no one had invented something to keep it on the nose instead of slipping. Maybe she would work on it on her free time and patent it. The copyrights would give her a good amount of money.

She sniffed, she'd caught a cold.

She sat at the small table she had in her room; she wasn't usually awake so late, but it had been a difficult night. She turned the page of a magazine in front of her and sipped a bit of coffee. She had always thought that coffee was a Goddess' elixir. Her eyes stopped in on an entertainment note and smiled. It was something about people buying nuts to protest the cancellation of a TV show. People really did weird things sometimes.

A whimpering sound called her attention, she turn her head, Helena still was unconscious. She hadn't come back to her senses after they brought her home a few hours ago. When the floor collapsed under her feet, both had fallen into an underground river. Dinah had saved their life by creating a force field around them. Both had been safe and floated on the water. She had followed their GPS signal and picked them up close to new Gotham's bay.

She wheeled next to the brunette and wet a cloth to clean the sweat on the young woman's forehead.

She had taken her time cleaning the deep wound on her head. Dinah's powers had saved them both from a terrific explosion that made the building collapse.

She had dressed the girl in one of her old New Gotham's P.D shirts. Noticing the buttons of the front had opened, she extended her hand to close it. Her eyes locked on her cleavage. Without thinking, she gently traced the skin with her fingers, feeling her softness. Her hand moved slowly to Helena's upper chest, feeling the strong muscles under her hand. It was a nice feeling.

How many times she had touched that body and taken care of it? Healing, patching… she felt a warm thrill surge from the pit of her stomach, it was like a wind that invaded her chest and then her cheeks.

Barbara shook her head. She moved her hand back. She wheeled toward the bathroom to change her clothes. The lack of sleep was numbing her mind and it was playing tricks on her. She opened a drawer and took out her favorite night shirt.

Helena, stubborn, hard and tough; she never let anything show of herself… except to her… She could see places that she never opened to anyone, places that she didn't want others to see. She was feared by many criminals, her name was beginning to be a legend in the underworld.

She was one of the few people –if not the only one- who could face her without fear, knowing she never would try to raise a hand against her.

A low sound made her look through the door to her bed where Helena was lying. Her breathing was agitated and she was moving restlessly.

Nightmare for sure.

She wheeled back to her side and called her; "Helena, wake up…"

The brunette half-opened her eyes, showing feral eyes, but she didn't react. Her eyes was glassy and lost… she was still inside her dream.

"Helena, you are at home," she said, trying to wake up the girl, she touched her cheek.

"Please…" The young woman mumbled moving her hand to push Barbara's fingers off her face.

"Hel, you are dreaming, wake up."

The young woman arched her back lightly and growled. The redhead cupped her face between her hands forcing her to see her. "Hel, it's me… Wake up."

The brunette jerked abruptly back, her feral vision locked firmly on Barbara's face, nerves thrumming tightly and still feeling the sensation of Quinzel touching her.

"You were dreaming," Barbara said softly. "Everything is okay."

The young woman blinked a few times, staring at her. Was she dreaming now? Quinzel's image was so vivid, she would swear she had been lying with the mad woman a few seconds ago; she still could feel her skin under her fingers; her taste on her lips; her touch in… the thought of it made her feel sick.

Barbara smiled gently at her.

"Are you okay?"

"Yea…" she brushed her hair back and grimaced.

"Careful, you have a big bruise there."

"What… happened?"

"You had a bad encounter last night. Here, take this…" Barbara said, giving her a glass of water and two pills.

The girl took a deep breath, the gears of her brain began to work and she began to remember.

The warehouse, she and Dinah in the middle of a fight.

"I… yeah… the gang…." She accepted the glass from Barbara's hand, her mouth was dry after that terrific dream -- Quinzel fucking her and she just laid there accepting her touches and kisses.

"Wooden bat?" the girl asked, feeling a bandage near her forehead.

"Butt of a rifle."

"Ah…" She put her lips on the glass.

"A hidden thug hit you when you stopped the man that tried to shoot Dinah in her back… hey, easy," she said, noticing Helena was gulping the water from the glass. "Slow down..."

"Thanks…" She extended the glass to her friend and winced, feeling a stab of pain in her head. "That guy wanted to knock my brains out of my head."

"Literally."

"I must use extra make up today." Helena felt another piece of her brain working. "The building was on fire…"

"Yes, Dinah created a bubble around you two and, when the building collapsed, you fell into an underground river. I followed your signal with the GPS and picked you up close to New Gotham Bay."

"Damn… it means I owe her one… crap… I'm sure she will ask to borrow my blue skirt."

"That is not so bad."

"It's bad. I can't say 'no' to her now!" Helena whined.

"She is your karma." Barbara smiled lightly. "Hel… you were in the middle of a nightmare… a very weird one."

Helena froze, looking terrified. Her mouth was even more dry now. Had she said something in her sleep? Did Barbara know what she was dreaming?

"Did… did I say something?"

"No… but you are still really shocked."

Helena could breathe again. Barbara would think she was a real psycho if she knew she was dreaming about having sex with her worst enemy.

"Hel?"

"Must be that blow to my head… I don't remember anything," the brunette lied.

"Helena, lately, I've noticed that you are having very bad nightmares."

"We are used to have nightmares, Barbara."

"Yes, but, with these, you always wake up disoriented and frightened."

"I'm not scared."

Quirking an eyebrow, the redhead smirked.

The brunette grumbled in annoyance, avoiding her look; it was so hard to lie when she still could feel the evil woman touches on her skin. She shivered.

The redhead suddenly sniffed.

"You have a cold," Helena said, almost with a whisper looking at her.

"Yes, I have a cold, but I´ll survive…. Hey…" The older woman took Helena's hand in hers. She knew that Helena didn't like to show her weak points. In those moments, she was like a big kid. "I'm worried about you. That's all, you haven't had nightmares in a long time and it caught my attention that they've been pretty frequent over the last few weeks. Are you really feeling okay?"

The brunette turned to the redhead and stared at her in silence. She noticed the fond look in her eyes as she watched her. Helena wondered if she would feel anything more for her than friendship. The same love she felt and made her feel like her heart would explode in any moment, sometimes from happiness, sadness.

Barbara always took care of her, it didn't matter if it was day or night, she was always there, for her… She pressed her fingers lightly into the redhead's hand and she stared their intertwined fingers. Barbara had long, delicate fingers, her nails were always in good shape and painted. When she was with her it was all that mattered. She was everything in her mind. Her face was before her eyes every minute of her life and she just counted the minutes every day until she was with her again.

Barbara was beautiful, she had felt her close to her so many times; her softness, the firmness of her muscles; she had heard her cry and laugh. Her cry was a punch in her gut and her laugh a bright light in the day. Her body trembled when she was near, and a knot in the pit of her stomach was permanent.

Her need for Barbara overwhelmed her.

Helena rubbed the back of the redhead's hand with her thumb. She had known for a while that her feelings for Barbara weren't an ordinary friendship, but something more. And that was a difficult thing to handle, more so because Barbara was sexy, really sexy, damn, the way she moved, the way her eyeglasses slipped down her nose, it was fucking sexy.

"Helena?" Barbara asked, the gentleness of Helena's touch making her feel a chill down her back.

"You… you should be in bed." The brunette sighed, coming back to reality; she couldn't let her libido be so free in that moment or she would jump on her and kiss her. "You are sick, Barbara, thanks for taking care of me, but you need take of yourself, too."

"Wait a minute, you are the one who was hurt with a…"

"And you are the one that has a cold." Helena looked pointedly at the tissues on the redhead's lap. When her gaze lifted, her eyes were trapped by the sight of Barbara's breast, barely covered by her robe. Pale, firm flesh, soft as porcelain barely illuminated by the dim light of the lamp on the night table. She wondered how would it feel. Her mouth was suddenly dry when her eyes fixed on the middle of her breast. She blinked and blushed when noticed Barbara was staring at her.

"Helena?"

Crap. Helena winced, she had caught her.

"I'm sorry…" she mumbled, lowering her head and releasing her hand. "I don't feel well…"

"I know… please rest…"

Helena leaned back on the mattress, closing her eyes. She was tired, she needed to rest a bit and organize her thoughts. Everything was confused inside her mind and she felt nervous, the dreams, her feelings... her body felt heavy, as did her limbs. What the hell was she doing thinking about Barbara in that way when the redhead was right in front of her? The blow had definitely affected her head. She had never allowed herself to think about the redhead in front of…

"Helena…" the voice of her former guardian interrupted her thoughts.

Her eyes opened.

Delicate fingers brushed the hairs that were a mess on her forehead "Stop thinking, just rest…

The young woman closed her eyes again, surrendering to the caress of those magic fingers. Without knowing when it happened, she fell asleep.

Barbara kept brushing her hair softly. After Quinn's attempt to control New Gotham using Clock Tower, things had begun to return to normal. It had been hard for Barbara to lose Wade, but she was healing. She knew Helena still couldn't recover at all. The young woman suffered from terrible guilt about what had happened; she tried to look happy, grumpy as always, but she could read the sadness in her eyes.

She had tried everything to prevent Helena from feeling rejected. She tried to make her feel okay because she needed her, she needed her close, she needed to know she was there.

It was curious how much she needed her, since the brunette had appeared in her life.

She smiled and sighed, remembering how hard she had needed to fight to keep her close after all the events eight years ago. First, there was the anger, pain and Helena's need for revenge that threatened to send her to wrong side of the law.

After that, her own pain and anger -- she was on the edge, between feeling sorry for herself or fighting to get her life back and helping Helena to live.

Both had survived.

Helena was a person who didn't like be touched or touch, she put up barriers. The barriers made her seem cold, rebellious and stubborn… but… Helena was always warm with her, she had noticed that the brunette always touched her by 'accident', an arm, a hand over her shoulder, soft enough to make her feel she appreciated her. It was sweet.

She liked it.

Dinah kissed her often on her cheek, to say hi, bye or good night, but never Helena never. Many times she wished she could do it. Sometimes she wanted to pull her down and kiss her cheek, but knowing the other woman, she was afraid she would reject it. She liked Helena being near her or just knowing that she was around.

The young woman had gone from being a friend's daughter, protégé, and an orphan in need, to someone really important in her life; someone who had given sense to her life.

She leaned down to kiss her forehead, her lips pressed for long seconds on the soft skin. She closed her eyes, inhaling her scent. She could recognize it easily in anyplace. Helena was unique.

She moved back and turned off the lamp.

* * *

To be continued...


	3. Chapter 3

"Well, I screwed it up," Helena grumbled

"Well, I screwed it up," Helena grumbled.

"I'm sure she didn't notice it," Dinah said, licking her ice cream. Dinah was sitting on the cornice of the balcony while Helena paced, waiting for Barbara to arrive for sweeps.

"How are you so sure about it?" The brunette stopped pacing and fixed her eyes on the teenager.

"Because Barbara never realizes what is happening around her, she is always focused on work and saving this city from criminals. In her personal life, she just…" she shrugged her shoulders "…sucks."

"Hey, don't talk about her like that."

"Well, tell me another way to describe why she knows what is happening everywhere, except around her."

"Well…" Helena waved her hands thinking, finally after a few seconds she gave up. "All right… fine."

The blonde grinned.

"I hate when you do that." The brunette glared at her. She wondered why the hell, of all the thousands of meta-humans, she had to have the one that could read minds as her partner. Dinah had discovered her feelings for Barbara very easily, months ago.

"What?"

"You're doing the superior thing."

"I'm not doing the superior thing, it's just logic. It's easy to tell how much you love her just by looking at your puppy eyes every time she is in front of you."

"I don't do puppy eyes!"

"You do."

"I do not."

"Helena, " Dinah sighed, raising her hands, "I knew you loved her just by watching you, not by reading your mind. If Barbara wasn't so distracted, she would have noticed it long ago."

Helena frowned and took a step toward her, "You were doing it again, right?"

"Doing what?" The blonde bit her ice cream.

"Reading my mind… I was thinking that you knew about my feelings for Barbara because you read my mind!"

"Well, okay, now I cheated, you think too loud… but the other part is true… I saw it in your eyes. At that time, I wasn't able to get through to your strong head…. Speaking of which, how is it?"

"Fine." Helena grumbled and pointed at her. "I'm asking that you don't lurk about inside my head. It's not polite to invade people's privacy, you know?"

"I know!" Dinah looked at her. "I don't want to do it, but it's impossible not to hear you when you are screaming in your mind."

"That's not true…"

Sometimes Helena was a big child, Dinah was amused with her. "Well, how can I hear you then? You practically shout when you are 'emotional'."

"I am not!"

"You are, you try to hide it, but you can't. Your thoughts are like waves on the sea, I can't avoid being hit by them, and even more so if I'm close to you."

"Forget it." Helena sighed and sat next to the blonde.

"May I borrow your blue skirt?"

"Of course not."

"I saved your life last night."

"Dinah…"

"Okay, so what happened?" Dinah finished her ice cream and licked her fingers. "Barbara caught you looking at her cleavage…. Did she hit you?"

"I'm not sure if she caught me or not, I guess she thought I was still a bit out of it from the low to my head." She still didn't know why she talked about this with Dinah, she was just a teenager, a kid, she hadn't lived enough… but… well, she was the only person she could talk to about this, she could be herself with her; the girl never showed any fear of her no matter what her mood… and… well, she trusted her.

She trusted a teenager?

Crap. Maybe she needed to reorganize her life and meet more people. Her circle of friends was really small.

"So, it was not so bad," Dinah said "Maybe she didn't realize it."

"I hope not."

"Is that the reason that you have been avoiding the ClockTower these last few weeks?"

"What?"

"The fact that you love her."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Come on, Helena. You are not here as often as you used to be. Are you avoiding her because you're afraid?"

"Afraid?"

"Yeah. Afraid you won't be able to control your feelings in front of her."

"I'm not in the mood for this…"

The sound of the balcony doors opening and Barbara's electric chair interrupted them.

"Are you two arguing again?"

"I'm telling Helena that she thinks to loud." Dinah smiled.

"Yes, and you need to start controlling your powers," the redhead noted.

"See? I told you it's not polite." The brunette elbowed the teen in the side.

"Hey…" Dinah rubbed her side. "I told you that it's impossible for me to not hear to you when you are practically screaming in your head."

"What were you screaming?" Barbara looked at the brunette.

"That she doesn't want me to borrow her blue coat and her blue skirt that she already agreed I could borrow."

"What?" the brunette growled.

"All right, arguments later." Barbara rubbed her hands "All right, about last night… one of the guys confessed they work for the boss…."

"But…?" Helena asked, knowing that when Barbara rubbed her hands it was because she didn't have any clue about what was happening.

"They don't know who it is."

"We need to do more research."

"I think so… But all the men inside have something in common. They were military."

"Oh… Someone is preparing their own army?" Dinah asked.

"That possibility worries me," Barbara said.

"Maybe we should investigate where the weapons are coming from."

"Delphi is already working on it. But it would be good for you two go to visit some of our contacts."

"Love the idea." Helena stood up and walked inside the tower. "I'd love to kick some butt. Let's go kid."

"Don't call me kid." The blonde followed her.

"Helena…"

"Yea?"

"Can we talk after you finish your sweeps?"

Helena hesitated a few seconds. But she didn't have any other option. "Uhm… sure…"

Barbara smiled. She couldn't avoid it.

Both girls disappeared behind the doors.

Barbara turned and looked at the city below her, breathing the soft, cold air of the night. Helena's face came to her mind. For an instant she was sure Helena was eyeing her last night in her room. She felt a shiver down her back and a warm feeling invading her body. But… she shook her head and opened her eyes, she was imagining things. The poor girl was still dazed by the hard blow to her head; the thug had hit her with great strength, Helena was really hard beat, the man must have been big, with oversized muscles.

Maybe she should use a helmet instead of a mask, but she never liked it. So vain. She smiled to herself. Knowing Helena maybe she would accept a Darth Vader or Bobba Fet mask.

She looked at her watch, duty called. She wheeled inside the Clock Tower, she had important things to do.


	4. Chapter 4

Well, she just wanted to talk with her

Well, she just wanted to talk with her. They had talked many times before. So there was no reason to be nervous. It was just Barbara, her friend. The brunette arranged her coat and brushed her hair, looking at her image reflected on the glass of the balcony doors.

She took a deep breath and straightened herself; she took the handle of the door and opened it.

She stepped inside the Clock; Delphi was on, but no sign of Barbara. She put her hands inside her pockets and looked around. Maybe she'd gotten lucky and Barbara had forgotten that she had asked her to come back after sweeps.

"Hey, anybody home?"

"Here… living room."

So much for luck.

"Hi…" Helena looked up. Barbara was upstairs. "I'm coming."

She climbed the stairs.

"Why are you so late? Dinah arrived long ago," the redhead asked when she saw Helena step inside the living room. She was lying on her side with a book in her hands.

"I stopped to get something to eat," the brunette lied, she had taken her time, afraid of what Barbara would want to talk about.

"Alfred is here, now the fridge is full."

Helena laughed. "Yeah, true, I forgot."

Well, that helped to relax her a bit. She sat in front of her resting her back on the chair. Barbara had her hair falling free over her shoulders, she had that black blouse with the turtle neck and no shoulders that made her look so sexy. Her skin was white as milk, she would love to lick it freely.

"Is it a good one?" she pointed at the book

"Yes." Barbara put it on the table next to her, "García Marquez is one of my favorites."

"_One Hundred Years of Solitude_ should be called _Use preservatives or_…"

"Well, I remember Jose Arcadio Buendía, later José, Aureliano and his 17 sons… Arcadio again… Remedios the beauty."

"You have a very good memory."

"That book would be good for a TV drama with eight hundred episodes… I would play Remedios."

"You?"

"Several men die for love or lust of her." She leaned in and winked an eye at her. "I'm sexy."

The wink made Barbara nervous. "You love to flirt with anything that moves."

"I'm charming."

"All right, you are charming…"

The brunette grinned. Barbara smiled to herself.

"Hel…"

"Yes?"

"I have the feeling that… you are avoiding me…" The redhead sat on the coach using her hands to move her legs. "Well, maybe it's my imagination, but you are not here as often as you used to be… You don't stay for dinner."

Helena felt cornered. That's was one of Barbara problems, when she asked a question, sh'd ask it straight, no anesthesia.

"I miss you," the redhead added, locking her eyes on her.

Warmth invaded Helena's body. That look melted her. The brunette felt a smile drawing on her face. She missed her.

"Why haven't you been here lately?" Barbara asked, reaching for her hand.

The touch was electric for Helena. She lowered her head and stared at the long and elegant fingers caressing her hand.

"You sometimes look tired and distracted," Barbara added, "you have become nervous. Is something bothering you? May I help you? Helena, I love to help you."

"Nothing is wrong," Helena whispered. The redhead surely wouldn't believe that.

"Helena…"

"I'm fine, Barbara. Really." The brunette moved back.

Barbara sighed and caught her eyes. "I would like for you to trust me more."

"I trust you." Helena hurried to say. She couldn't let her think otherwise

"Doesn't seem like it. Something is bothering you, you have been avoiding us… me."

Why did Barbara always go straight to the point? She didn't give her room to find a good excuse.

"No, it's not that." Helena smiled and shook her head. She knew her smile was one of her best weapons and maybe it would be helpful now to distract her from the real topic. "I'm just… well… reorganizing my life. Visiting bars… meeting people."

The redhead looked at her skeptically.

"Barbara, you know you are the only person that I trust, but when you realize that you talk about your problems to a teen that you hate because she loves to wear your clothes, you know it's time to increase your circle of friends."

The redhead laughed lightly. Helena loved it. Barbara was so beautiful when she laughed.

"All right, I get your point… "

"And well…. I have been enjoying he night life; you know, visiting bars, places to dance…"

Barbara looked at her without saying a word.

"I need to meet people… new friends, maybe a boyfriend." Boyfriend? Helena thunked her head mentally. That was the problem when Barbara cornered her, she said stupid things.

Barbara's laugh turned into a light smile. She didn't seem to like that idea so much. "Yes… I understand..." she cleared her throat "…and… what about Reese?"

"Well, he's nice but, we have problems with the rules and the law thing." Helena shrugged her shoulders. "He is stiff about it."

"And you are a rebel."

"In a way,.. yes." The brunette bobbed her head.

"All right, I believe you… but…" the redhead extended her hand and took the brunette's fingers between hers again, "promise me that if something is wrong you will tell me."

Helena felt lost in those green eyes. She felt guilty for not telling her the truth about the dreams, it was sick, she didn't know what Barbara would think of her for having dreams making love with her worst enemy; she would be disappointed; and if she confessed her love for her… Barbara surely wouldn't react well, she loved her as a sister, as a friend and she didn't want to lose her. She was her only family, the only person who really cared for her.

Helena lifted the hand between hers and kissed it softly. She pressed her lips long seconds on the soft skin and, for a second, was tempted to taste it with the tip of her tongue.

She moved the hand down and caressed it with her thumb.

"I promise."

* * *

The redhead played with the pencil between her fingers. She was staring at her computer monitor in silence. She had a lot of work to do, but her mind was stuck on Helena.

She was still acting weird; she thought that after their talk a few days ago, Helena would change a bit, but she hadn't. She knew that the nightmares were affecting her and Helena didn't want to accept it.

She checked the clock on the screen. Maybe she would call her and ask her if she was okay. After all, the last time Helena had been home, she'd brought a pizza and they'd watched a movie on TV. Helena had been in a pretty good mood all night and she spent the whole time sitting at her feet, her hand often touching her leg while she ate the popcorn in her lap.

Her lips twitched upwards into a smile on her face. Helena was so sweet.

The bell of the elevator made her turn her head.

Helena.

Her heart beat increased.

"Helena?" Barbara asked, without thinking.

"Alfred, Miss Barbara," the gentle butler said, walking inside with a bag full with groceries.

Years of experience controlling her emotions allowed her hide her disappointment pretty well from him.

"Hey, you are back," she said "How was your vacation?"

"Excellent, Miss Barbara. It was a really nice trip to my lovely England."

"What is that?" The redhead pointed at the bags he had in his hands.

"Your fridge needed an urgent refill." He went toward the kitchen and Barbara followed him.

"How do you know? ... You are just arriving."

"Every time I leave you alone, the fridge and the pantry are the first ones who need my full attention and I don't think Miss Helena's stomach pit could survive one more day without food."

"Yea…. But she is not here now…."

"No?" He lifted his brows in surprise while the doors of the elevator closed. "Maybe her sixth sense warned her that your fridge was empty and she went to fill the bottomless pit elsewhere."

The redhead laughed lightly, looking at a plastic bag outside the grocery bag. "Mmm… pasta? Are you going to cook Italian?"

"Exactly. Superheroes need to be in shape and eat healthy food. Not just frozen or fast food. I will make some coffee. Would you like some?"

"Please."

The elevator doors opened on the second floor and they moved toward the kitchen.

"I'm glad you all survived by yourselves."

"Hey, we are superheroes, remember?"

"Oh, yes. True… Well, maybe pasta and some chicken would be good for dinner."

"I love the idea."

"Dinner for three." He put the groceries on the kitchen table.

"Well…" she hesitated, Helena hadn't been at dinner in the last week; she always had an excuse. Dumb excuses, but excuses nonetheless.

"Someone is sick?" Alfred asked.

"Not exactly. Helena has been acting weird the last few weeks. It's like…" she moved her hand nervously while he began to prepare the coffee, "like she is avoiding the Tower."

"Avoiding?" he looked at her curiously.

"Yes… I'm not sure what is happening to her. You know, sometimes she doesn't want to talk."

"Were you arguing again?" It was not uncommon for them to argue. In fatc, it was a pretty rare that they didn't argue.

"Oh no, no, everything has been fantastic. It's just… that she… she is having nightmares; I think that must be it. Maybe she still feels guilty about Wade."

"You talked with her about it. It was not her fault." Alfred put coffee inside the coffee machine. "We all know it."

"Yes, but I think it's hard for her to accept. She trusted Quinzel. And you know that Helena doesn't open up to just anyone." Barbara leaned back in her chair andwas quite for a momen. "I'm afraid…"

"Afraid?"

"Afraid that after that experience, she doesn't want to talk to anyone or open herself to anyone… including me."

Alfred turned on the coffee machine and turned to face the ex-crime fighter. "I don't think that would happen. Miss Helena loves you too much."

"But she is hurt…"

"You have never failed her, Miss Barbara."

"But she thinks she failed me, which, in her mind, is worse."

The ding of the elevator interrupted the conversation.

"Alfred! You are back from your vacation!" Helena said enthusiastically.

"Hey!" Barbara couldn't hide the big smile on her face.

"Hi," the brunette smiled back to her; she waved toward Alfred. "I'm so glad to see you again."

"Glad to see you too. I'm just starting to prepare dinner," he said in amusement, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. "Did you miss me?"

"Yes, I'm starved, I really suffer every time you leave." The brunette stood up next to him.

"I would cook, but you don't let me." Barbara kept an eye on her, observing the younger woman. She looked tired. Maybe she had gone to one of her favorite night clubs after her movie.

"I want to live." Blue eyes laughed at her. "You burn coffee."

"I'm glad you are here."

"Oh… I just came to look for my short coat. I guess I left it here last week."

"What happened to you?" the redhead asked curiously with a frown..

"Me? Nothing. Why?"

"You look as if you hadn't slept in a week," Alfred said, preparing the pasta.

"Good party?" Barbara moved her finger below her own eyes to signal her 'black rings'.

"Uh?" Helena muttered, "No." How could tell her about her weird dreams with Quinzel? Always the same damn dream every time she slept. She and Quinzel, that was crazy. Even weirder was that she could still feel Quinzel's skin under her fingers, she could still taste of her, and it was pissing her off. It was like being in the middle of a never ending nightmare.

Barbara observed the younger woman; suddenly, she seemed to be uncomfortable, the brunette moved back on the chair and played with the cookie she had in her hands.

"So?"

The young woman didn't answer, she kept playing with the cookie on her hands, her eyes lost on it. Barbara stretched out her hand and touched her arm. The dark woman jumped, startled.

"Hey, easy…" Barbara moved her hand back. "Are you okay?"

Her young protégée blinked, she seemed to be disturbed. The redhead moved her hand again to touch Helena's. The girl couldn't suppress a shiver and stood up.

"What's wrong?" the redhead asked.

"Nothing… I'm thirsty." Helena wandered to the cupboard to find a glass.

Barbara quirked an eyebrow.

"No," Helena moved her index side to side, "don't throw me 'the look' I know you, I didn't sleep enough last night… that's all. Nightmares, you know."

"Nightmares, yeah, your odd dreams." Green eyes didn't blink and followed her.

Damn.

When Barbara looked at her like that, it meant that she wasn't falling for it.

"Yes… it was just a nightmare…" Helena waved her hands, "You know, monsters, white fangs, green bodies, dragons and all those things," she joked.

"Monsters? Fangs?"

"Yes… like when you are a kid…" Helena took the handle of the fridge to open it. "Is there cold milk?"

"Yes," Barbara said scratching her ear. Now she was sure something was wrong. "But be careful opening the door, people say there are monsters inside when the light is off."

The brunette turned and glared at her.

"I'm joking, don't be so grumpy."

"I'm not grumpy… I just need to sleep a bit." Helena took out a carton of milk. She stood behind Alfred, who was at the stove, and sniffed, "Hey, that smells pretty good, Alfred."

"I know, I'm cooking."

"Well," Barbara moved back in her chair. "I'd love for you to stay for dinner."

"I'll prepare extra pasta for you," Alfred said.

"All right, just don't make too much. I don't eat that much."

Barbara smirked. The brunette rolled her eyes.

"All right, but I'm growing, Barbara."

"I hope someday you will stop growing or you are going to bankrupt the Wayne Foundation," Alfred chuckled.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	5. Chapter 5

She felt like shit

She felt like shit. Not just because of the creepy dreams. She lied to Barbara.

But what else could she do?

Confess that she was having sick dreams with Quinzel?

Tell her that she loved her?

She was standing in a open field next to New Gotham Bay. The sky was filled with stars. She brunette picked up a pebble next to her shoe and threw it far, toward the bay.

The pebble skipped on the water two times before sinking.

She had been throwing small rocks on the water for the last half hour, thinking about the talk she had with Barbara almost a week ago at the Clock tower. She closed her eyes a few seconds; she still could feel the gentleness of her fingers touching her hand, her lovely gaze upon her. Her soft perfume.

She half opened her eyes and stared at the dark water in front of her. She didn't know what to do.

She was screwing it all up.

She was acting stupid, maybe the dreams revealed just her deepest fears. Every time she woke from one of those dreams, she had a creepy feeling, a tingling in her skull and in her hands and legs... she needed time to steady herself, to recover her breath. Every time she dreamed of Quinzel, she felt darkness upon her, claiming her. It was like being in hell.

While Quinzel was alive, she had reasons to be afraid of her. The damn doctor had screwed with her mind and had screwed with her mentor's life. She was an insane criminal that was obsessed with her them. Barbara had hunted the Joker, almost all entire career, she had stopped the criminal so many times and Batman… her… father had sent him to Arkham.

A place where he belonged.

She had reasons to hate them both.

As she had reasons to hate Harley, too.

She threw another pebble onto the water. This time, the little one bumped on the water four times before sinking.

She always had been a difficult soul for others to understand because, sometimes, it was hard for her to understand herself. Maybe those dreams were just a warning that she was losing control of her own emotions.

She kneeled and took another round pebble; she cleaned the dirt off reverently, remembering how Barbara had cleaned her of all the pain she had after her mother's death. She owed her life to her.

Barbara had taught her to manage her anger through the years, and she had done an excellent job. She could be awake now and not feeling the anger and pain consuming her. But she still had work to do. She needed to control herself more -- her temper, her feelings...

Her love for Barbara.

She took the small pebble and cleaned it again carefully.

Barbara always looked at her in a loving way. She always touched gently.

Maybe she was making a mistake by pushing Barbara away. Barbara had always been there for her. And she was happy when she was close. Why push that happiness away?

Maybe she would try to be close to her most often instead of running away.

She took the pebble and threw it to the water.

Four skips. Not so bad.

Maybe she still had time to fix this mess. To be closer to Barbara, spend more time with her; maybe go out to lunch or dinner and enjoy her company and talk about many things, not just work. She would lend some of her clothes to Dinah…

Helena scratched her head.

Well… no reason to go completely nuts.

She smiled to herself.

She would try.

* * *

"There are two kind of foolish people: the stubborn ones and Helena."

Barbara chuckled, opening her bag lunch on her lap.

"I'm telling you the truth, Barbara, she really is pig headed," the teen said, biting her sandwich; it was lunch time and she was seated on a bench in the gardens of New Gotham school.

They usually had lunch together when they had the same free period. Barbara loved the green gardens filled with trees and flowers. Now the weather was cold, but the beauty of the gardens was something that was always there. They were under an old tree with their backs toward the school building. Some students were sitting on the grass enjoying the sun and studying. Others just talked.

She cut a slice of apple that she had in her bag. "She is just having a hard time right now."

"Her life is a 'hard time'. You spoil her too much." Dinah looked for a napkin inside her lunch bag.

"I do not spoil her." Barbara put the apple slice in her mouth.

"Yes, you spoil her and it doesn't help things. Helena is like a big child."

"Well…" Barbara tapped her chin lightly. The soft breeze played with her hair. "She is a big child, just like you are sometimes."

"We are not talking about me. Maybe you need to spank her."

"I think I'll spank you first." Barbara leaned back slightly and fixed her eyes on her.

Dinah was silent a few seconds, maybe she was teasing her too much, and when the redhead got an idea in her head, it was hard to make her change her mind. "Okay. We can forget the spanking."

Barbara smiled lightly and cut another slice of apple. "I'm sure her behavior is connected to the nightmares that she's been having lately."

"Do you think?"

"She doesn't want to talk about it, and when she doesn't want talk about something…"

"…Got it," the teen interrupted opening her bottle of juice. "That brings us back to the first topic, Helena is pig headed."

Barbara rolled her eyes. "Dinah…"

"All right."

Barbara looked the apple in her hands in silence for a few seconds, thinking. She was not sure whether or not to ask her young protégée about the doubts she had. It would be invading the privacy of a person, the privacy of Helena. She knew it was not right, but she really wanted to know. Finally, her curiosity was stronger than her reason.

"Has… she told you anything about them?"

"About her dreams? No…"

"And… " She moved back in her chair, hesitant to ask. "Have… or… could you catch what is… bothering her…?"

"Uh?"

"You know," Barbara waved her hand toward her head. "…Thoughts?"

"Barbara! You told me not…"

"I know, I know," the redhead interrupted her. She was not good at trying to be subtle. "But I'm worried about her and I was thinking that maybe you, by accident, had picked up on something. You told me you can do it sometimes…"

"Well," the blonde girl shrugged her shoulders "I can´t avoid hearing when she is thinking too loud."

"Explain that again? About thinking too loud, who thinks too loud?"

"Helena."

The former crime fighter glared at her charge. Sometimes Dinah really did need a spanking.

"It's not my fault," the teen tried to explain, moving her hair nervously behind her ear with her fingers. "I… I don't want to do it… it's just, well, sometimes you can't avoid doing something and… it's like when you want to sneeze and you can't stop it…"

"Dinah…."

The young girl closed her mouth and met Barbara's emerald eyes. She knew 'the look', she just wanted an answer. Not more. Okay, maybe she was babbling again without say anything. She took a breath and tried again.

"Sometimes it's like she is talking in a very loud voice and I can't avoid hearing her. But she is not talking, she is thinking."

"All right? When… she does it… what have you caught? Anything about her dreams?"

"No…"

"But you have heard her, listened to her thoughts."

"Yes."

Dinah bit a piece of sandwich and munched it. The redhead waited in silence, and after long seconds, she noticed Dinah was staring off into space and it seemed she had forgotten they were talking.

"So?" she asked, to get her back to the topic.

"So?"

"We were talking about you hearing Helena's thoughts because she thinks 'too loud.'" She raised her index finger and moved it.

"Yes." Dinah nodded.

"So you heard her."

"Yes."

"What did you hear?"

"I can't tell you."

The kid really was testing her limits. She pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers; God! Dinah was almost better than Helena at ending her patience in record time. It was much easier to knock out a super villain and make him talk than to try to make a teen with meta powers talk. All right, in these case, she just needed to take a deep breath and count to ten.

And she did it.

"Why not?" she finally asked, trying to sound calm.

"Well... I heard to her by mistake and I don't think that talking about it would be right because you told me…"

Barbara raised her hand to stop the inevitably long and confusing speech that was sure to spill from the blonde's mouth. She needed to ask the question another way.

"All right, I understand, just tell me… Did the things that you 'heard' when she screamed in her thoughts have anything to do with her dreams?"

"Nope."

"With her absences from the Clock tower?"

"Nope."

"Dinah…"

"I promise, Barbara." And technically she was telling the truth-- in every thought she picked up from the brunette, Helena was drooling over the redhead. If Helena didn't want to talk; she respected her decision and it was not her place to open her mouth. "But I asked her why she was avoiding the Clock and she didn't want to tell me. Maybe as you say, we must wait until she decides to tell us what is happening. She will talk, Barbara."

"Yeah…" She leaned back in her chair, looking at the gardens. She liked the place, it was peaceful, a peace that usually disappeared every night when they guarded the city. She enjoyed those moments, serving the city, helping people; being close to Helena. Yeah, she needed to accept it, Helena's adrenaline was contagious; her inner strength filled the Tower every time she was there and her smile was a light in the darkness of their work.

She enjoyed the time they shared sitting in the living room watching TV or dining. She was fun, she showed her the unexpected side of a night warrior. Helena used to have breakfast with her or call at mid day after she was back from school.

But today was not the day.

Nor any day over the last few weeks.

"I miss her…" she said, almost in a whisper.

Dinah turned to see her. Had she heard that?

"… not just physically;" the redhead added, "I miss talking to her and having dinner or lunch with her. She is a good friend. " She lowered her head and played with her fingers. "I don't want to invade her privacy."

The teen noticed the tenderness in those green eyes when she talked about Helena.

"You know as I do, that she is hiding something from us. I would just like know what I can do to help her."

Dinah touched her hand.

"I know, Barbara, she will talk. Just give her time. She always comes back to you, she loves you so much."

"I hope so."

* * *

She arrived at her apartment late. She loved long, warm baths, and especially on cold night. Tonight was a really cold night. The hot water fell over her shoulders and she put her hands on the wall, lowering her head to enjoy the feeling of the water on her back. She couldn't stop thinking about Barbara. Some days she would dream about snuggling, holding her tight, just resting her head on her back and listening the beat of her heart, or burying her nose in soft red hair.

But her life was this one, a crazy crime fighter living over a bar; with no family or friends, just Barbara.

And she was not going to lose her just because of some stupid dreams and her stubbornness.

She turned off the water and stepped out her bathroom, wrapping a towel around herself. She walked into her bedroom.

Suddenly, she stopped; her eyes turned feral and her head snapped back.

"Quinzel?" she asked, surprised. In a corner, next to the window, the blonde stood naked, the moon light that crossed the window made her skin look like porcelain.

"Yes, it's me…" The blonde stepped closer to the younger woman, slowly, taking her time.

Helena had her eyes fixed on the other woman, she couldn't move; she could only stare at her, stunned. The woman had an incredible body, she seemed to move in slow motion, laloowing Helena time to notice her thin curves and admire her small, but firm, breasts; the brunette felt her mouth go dry and a throb between her legs. The evil woman moved her arms around her neck smiling.

"I was waiting for you." She stroked Helena's mouth with her thumb.

"But…" the young woman noticed she wasn't in her room anymore; she was at Harleen's place.

"You did a good job knocking out our dear Oracle, but I'm sure your friends are lurking now and we need to kill them."

"Who?"

"Dinah and that annoying detective, Reese."

Helena suddenly remembered, Quinzel had hypnotized her and she had knocked out Barbara. She had given her the disk to get access to the tower and…. Quinzel stood up so close to her that she could feel the heat from her.

"This time you must not fail me," the blonde said.

"What are you doing?" the brunette asked in a whisper, trapped in her eyes.

"Taking what's mine…" Harleen took the young crime fighter's face in her hands and kissed her. The contact was fierce and Helena found her lips being forced apart by a hot, demanding tongue.

She couldn't resist it. She knew Quinzel was a crazy criminal that hated her mentor and that would never stop until she destroyed her, but something happened that every time she was in front of her. She couldn't do anything and once they had kissed, she couldn't keep her lips off of Harleen's body; her mind could only focus on touching and loving that woman.

The blonde moved back and smiled, looking deep into Helena's pupils, "I love your kitty eyes. They are so sexy…"

"Do you think?"

"Well…" she moved her hands down to the bottom of the towel and removed it easily, she let it fall to the floor. "Everything about you is damn sexy."

Harleen kissed her again and pressed her body against the brunette, moving her backwards toward the bed; Helena felt the other woman's naked leg between her thighs she gasped, unprepared for the sudden rush of warmth to her lower regions. The blonde's hands and tongue moved on her body, making her tremble and lose her mind in the feeling of touches and tastes.

She felt Harleen's breasts moving against hers with every heavy breath. Nipples pressed into her skin.

She rolled the other woman on her back and kissed her.

Quinzel knew she was close because of her panting against her ear. Her abdomen contracting under the pressure of her fingers.

Then…

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED--


	6. Chapter 6

Barbara wheeled toward her room. She was wearing green sweat pants and a white tank. It was Sunday, a good day to do nothing or watch TV. Of course she had chosen to work at the Delphi; she loved it. Humming, she went to prepare a cup of coffee in the kitchen before starting her work. Yesterday had been a wonderful day. Helena seemed to be back to her usual mood. She had dinner at Clock Tower and everyone had a good time.

She was in a good mood and seemed to have recharged her batteries; she really wanted to start work. Still, they needed to find some clues about the 'boss' -- the mysterious new criminal in New Gotham. She opened the lower cabinet and picked up the coffee bag. It was empty.

"Bad news," she said to herself, her gears couldn't start without coffee. She put it in the trash and opened the next door. She moved some boxes around and a few jars to the side, trying to find it. She was sure they had more coffee some place. She could handle an empty fridge, no food, no drinks… but no coffee? That was a sin.

She looked up at the upper cabinet. Maybe there? She raised her arm and opened it. Excellent, a coffee bag was there, but it was pretty high. She looked down and sighed. The manual chair. Very short.

Hard for her to get it. She usually didn't require her brain try to work before coffee, but this morning she would have to do it.

She looked around, trying to find something she could use to reach the bag.

"Can I help?" a voice interrupted her thoughts.

Barbara felt her heart jump out of her chest. She turned, surprised to see the thin brunette.

"Sorry, I left my bell at home." She shrugged her shoulders, knowing she had startled her mentor.

"Don't worry." Barbara smiled. It was a nice surprise. "What are you doing here?"

That smile was a light for her day. Helena raised two plastics bags in her hands. "Breakfast, Alfred doesn't work on Sunday and it's not healthy for you to eat anything you cook."

"Frozen food?"

The brunette put the bags on the table and went toward the cabinet. "Oh no, it's too early for it." She was nervous before stepping inside the elevator that would take her to the clock. She paced outside for almost fifteen minutes, wondering if what she was doing was correct or not.

She had promised herself that she would change and not let those creepy dreams separate her from Barbara; the woman had asked her to trust in her and stay away so much… Even knowing that, she was not sure how the redhead would take her visit. After all, she had spent almost a month avoiding the place. Yesterday, she had been there for dinner and now for breakfast. She used to do that before, but she couldn't avoid feeling nervous. She finally had mustered the courage to go to the top of the building.

Barbara's smile had assured her that it had been the right choice to be there that morning.

"Ooh… and what is the menu for today?" the redhead asked, curiously looking at the bags.

"Well…." Helena stretched to get the coffee. "Fresh orange juice, fresh fruit, crispy bacon, bagels with ham, and a grilled chicken sandwich."

She picked up the bag and gave it to her, purposefully leaning a few inches from her face. She wanted know her reaction; she wanted to know if there would be an inkling of emotion on the redhead about her.

"And, of course, Babs, your whole-grain muffins," she said, trying to sound casual, but it was hard, Barbara was so beautiful; her perfect white skin, her eyebrows in perfect shape over those deep green eyes that always looked incredible, surrounded by her long, red hair. The morning sun behind her back made her look like an angel.

She took a deep breath and she could smell her soft scent. It was unique; it always made her heart beat as fast as if she had run miles and miles with no rest. She could fly and bring her the stars, or could go to the end of the world to bring her the first morning rays; or the first pink clouds of the sunrise. She wanted to curl up with her, wrapping her arms around her waist and just listening to her heart, listening to her breathe.

Corny.

Helena smiled to herself.

Yea, she was corny and romantic. If she stayed there for one more second, she would surely lean in and kiss her.

Instead, she winked at Barbara and moved back, smiling. "By the way, you look gorgeous today."

Barbara smiled lightly at her. "You are crazy."

"Evil, some people say… Ah," Helena poked around inside the bags, "I brought some sausage, the kid loves it."

"Thanks…" the redhead mumbled, looking at her disconcertedly. Maybe she was still dreaming.

"I know you always watch what you eat, but I bought you a donut. It's filled with cream, your favorite."

"Hey," Dinah said, yawning in the kitchen doorway. "What is this? Party?" she narrowed her eyes and looked at the clock, "Its early, no?"

"It's nine-thirty kid," Helena said. "Don't be lazy."

"Do you feel sick, Helena?"

"No, I'm hungry."

After a pleasant breakfast, Barbara enjoyed her warm cup of coffee and her cream filled donut. Dinah had gone to take a shower and Helena was finishing her third pop tart. Helena was full of life. She was dressed in a dark blue skirt and a white blouse with no sleeves. She seemed relaxed and looked so sweet and innocent, like that girl that she met at Selina's house such a long time ago.

She was talking about something, but Barbara was lost just looking at her, her smile, her eyes sparkled with delight. The energy that she radiated; her skin, in some way, she looked especially beautiful this morning.

She remembered the electricity running through her skin when Helena had leaned in to give her the bag of coffee Those expressive blue eyes, so close to her really made her feel nervous, so nervous the only thing she was ale to say was "you are crazy."

Helena had a strong magnetism and an incredible inner strength of which Barbara was sure the younger woman was unaware.

"Barbara?" the brunette asked, cocking her head.

"Uh?"

"You weren't listening to what I was saying." Helena felt that maybe she was talking too much and Barbara was bored.

"Yes, I… well, no," Damn. She was caught, she couldn't lie. "Sorry… I was thinking…"

"About the new super villain in the city?" Helena tried to joke.

"No…" the redhead said "about being glad you are back. We missed you so much. Never forget that we love you."

"Oh…" That was an unexpected answer and Barbara was staring at her with that look that melted her. Damn. Helena felt warm from her feet to her face.

Barbara smiled, noticing Helena was blushing; she took another bite of her donut.

Helena was silent and noticed a drop of cream on the Barbara's lower lip. The temptation was too much. Without thinking, she bent down and extended her hand to clean the cream off the corner of her mouth. The movement surprised the redhead; she felt a slight, tingling shiver down her spine and it was now her turn to blush.

"I have a great idea," Helena said, suddenly.

"Mmm?"

"We can organize a movie marathon today."

"Movie…? But I have work to do…"

"Come on, Barbara, you work all day. What do you think?"

"Did I hear something about movies?" Dinah walked into the kitchen, drying her hair with a towel. "Cool."

"Well… sounds good…" Barbara hesitated, she hadn't planned this.

"Excellent," Helena said, standing up in front of Barbara, "I'll be right back in a few…"

"Just don't bring your typical horror movies, they are awful…" Dinah glared at her.

"You won't be able to sleep tonight after watching my choices."

"I want to see that."

The brunette smiled and hopped toward the elevator before the redhead could protest. Dinah sat at the table and took a donut out of the box.

Barbara was surprised, she wanted her back, but she was being very nice and attentive; she hadn't protested about anything nor had she been grumbling as usual. She liked it but, well, she didn't expect this nice behavior. She had blushed; she knew she had blushed when Helena had touched her lip.

Yeah, she had caught her off guard. Helena was just being nice.

"This is new…" Barbara said, as soon as the young woman disappeared.

"Her paying for the movie rentals? Yeah." Dinah agreed, crossing her arms on the table.

"No, I mean, she's here again and…."

"Well, she is back, I told you. She just needed time."

"She is being very nice…"

"Well, from Helena that is really weird. But is that a problem?"

"Of course not… it's just… different."

"Give her a few weeks and she will be stubborn and obstinate once again."

Barbara shook her head, smiling. Those two definitely loved to annoy each other like sisters. She wheeled her chair back.

"All right, your turn to wash dishes."

"Who? Me? Why?"

"I need to check a few things on the Delphi before Helena comes back. I already prepared the coffee, Helena brought the breakfast…"

"I brought my stomach."

"And hurry up." Barbara wheeled toward the stairs. "I think she will be back soon."

The Shining was always a good movie. Jack Nicholson really was a great actor and more so when he acted like a crazy man. It was the kind of film where you could invite your girlfriend and enjoy when she yelled in fear and hugged you strongly, looking for protection.

But in this case she couldn't expect Barbara to jump into her lap, looking for her protection. Barbara wasn't easily scared after all the things she had lived through and fought. So, she was content lying in the redhead's lap, watching the movie. Dinah had left an hour ago; Gabby had called and invited her for coffee with some friends from school.

It was good for the kid go out and focus on other things, not just work and street fights. Then, Babs and she had just settled in on the couch, enjoying a movie. A good one.

Helena tried to focus on it; the problem was that it was hard concentrate with Barbara's nails distractedly scratching her scalp. Maybe no one had explained to the woman that a cat would fall asleep easily when someone was scratching her scalp. And she was not an exception. She tried to keep her eyes open, but it was really hard. Her eyes felt so heavy.

Very heavy.

She felt like she was in heaven; she wanted to be there her entire life, just enjoying the play of those fingers against her skull.

Suddenly, the fingers moved lower, following the line of her spine. Slowly, they began to explore her skin up and down, creating electric charges. It was nice. The Barbara's hand stopped on her lower back and, with lengthy strokes, she began to sweep her fingertips from the young woman's waist toward her belly. Helena couldn't avoid purring. The feeling was amazing. Her touch was magic, wonderful.

Barbara caressed her for long minutes. Her hand moved as if she was trying to discover every curve and line of her body. Then, she changed her direction. Helena couldn't avoid trembling when the perfectly painted nails scratched at the waist band of her pants.

The caress was turning her on. She felt her nipples harden, an throbbing between her legs increasing. Barbara was just being nice and her body didn't understand it. It was a natural reaction; she wanted so much touch to her back, feel her skin under her fingers. She needed to stop her or her instincts would betray her. It took great effort to remain controlled and extend her hand to grab redhead's wrist gently. It was not the way she wanted Barbara; she really loved her and she didn't want to screw it up from the beginning.

Barbara didn't know the effect of those fingers on her. The brunette took a deep breath to steady her heart; she was about to say "no," but the words never got the chance to form. Barbara, knowing she would reject her, slipped her hand into her blouse and took possession of one of her breasts.

"You are mine," Barbara whispered and leaned in to kiss her.

The bolt of erotic sensation that shot through her, left her too dazed to object. Barbara pulled her up and both melted into a warm embrace; Helena put her legs on each sides of Barbara's thighs and, lost in an erotic kiss, she couldn't think straight. Barbara pushed her blouse up roughly and trapped her breast, sucking first one, then another of her sensitive mounds in earnest.

Helena moaned and arched under the touch, grabbing Barbara's head between her hands to keep her close. Her head swam; she felt overpowered by a strange desire. She loved what this woman was doing to her and she couldn't make her stop.

She began to move her hips against Barbara. Her breath grew short and she felt a warmth almost like liquid fire growing inside her. She was about to come and Barbara hadn't touched her below yet.

She needed her so much.

She kissed the top of the red head and forced her to head up to trap her soft, warm mouth.

When her eyes found Barbara's, she felt her heart stop.

This was not Barbara.

This was insane.

"You are mine." Quinzel's face came into view, smiling at her.

Feral eyes noticed she was not longer in the Clock Tower, she was once again inside Quinzel's office. Yes, she knew the place perfectly well: the walls painted in dark colors, the big windows showing the snow that was falling over New Gotham.

Helena could only look at her in dazed confusion. The damn crazy woman was there, she was with her on the leather couch; the blonde had a hand holding her thight against her and the other one was still playing with her left nipple. She wanted to stand up, to run away, but her body was trapped by the pleasure of the touch of the blonde's hands.

"I can see your need…" Quinzel kissed her neck with soft touches, her tongue licking the tender skin. "I will fill you with pleasure, you want me, every time you see me you will know that you want me and nothing else will be in your mind."

Helena felt the blonde's hand move inside her underwear and within her lower lips.

"You owe me, Helena."

The dark woman growled and surrendered to her. She couldn't stop herself, she was Quinzel's. She knew it was wrong, but she wanted her so bad.

"Give yourself to me, Helena."

The brunette felt a new wave of desire sweep over her. She knew that Quinzel said her name constantly to show her power over her. She began to move her hips to the rhythm of the woman's fingers and closed her eyes surrendering to the pleasure. Stroking the blonde's cheek softly, against her own, she felt her orgasm build up -- slowly, inevitably.

"Fuck!" Helena, yelled hitting the floor.

It took her a few seconds to recognize where she was. She was at the Clock Tower again. The living room was lighted with dim lights; the television was on. She put her palms on the floor and began to push herself up, but stopped the movement when she noticed who was on the couch.

Quinzel.

Her mouth felt dry. She moved her head, this couldn't be. She wasn't dreaming.

She felt the tempo of her heartbeat increase, a chill run down on her back. What was happening?

What strange power had the mad woman over her?

Quinzel had been touching her and the worst part was that every time her former therapist touched her, it was as if her body was on fire; she couldn't deny her call. It was like a siren's call, an evil siren's call that would pull her to her death; her mind was blocked when she heard her, she just wanted to lay with the other woman and lose herself in touches and kisses, in wild sex.

That was so damn sick. Yet, even knowing this, she couldn't control herself.

"Shit." She growled, covering her head in her hands. This was so wrong; what was happening to her? She wanted to wake from this nightmare.

"Helena."

When she heard her name, she pushed herself back with her feet. It was her voice… her damn voice. She didn't want to listen to her anymore. She couldn't deny her call, she couldn't disobey what she asked. She could only give in to the lust, an inexplicable and overwhelming lust for the other woman.

Quinzel had hypnotized her in some way, she was sure of it.

She felt slender fingers taking her wrist and a hand on her back trying to soothe her.

She didn't want it. Not anymore.

She loved Barbara, she couldn't fail Barbara. Her heart belonged to the redhead.

The hand on her back moved toward her shoulder.

She loved Barbara. This was not right; the hand was burning her.

"Don't touch me!" she growled, grabbing the hand strongly.

"Helena! Ouch!" Quinzel grimaced in pain. She tried to free herself with her other hand, but Helena was stronger.

"Never touch me again!" the young woman gritted her teeth angrily glaring at her. "Never…"

"You are hurting me! Helena!"

She didn't want to hear her name on the mad woman's lips again.

"Shut up!" she yelled, yanking her hard. Quinzel fell on the floor next to her and hit her back against the coffee table. Helena stood up, growling and fisting her hands. She was going to kill this woman; she didn't want to listen to her anymore, she wanted her out of her head.

Quinzel winced in pain and rolled on her back.

"Bitch!" The brunette lifted her fist to her.

"Helena, it's me!" The woman covered her face with her hands to avoid the blow.

Feral pupils blinked, the blonde hair changed suddenly to long, red hair. And the hated features transformed to the beloved ones.

Barbara.

The brunette shook her head. She looked again at the woman on the floor, confused.

Barbara?

What the…?

"Helena, it's me, stop." Barbara rubbed her arm. She had hit the table hard.

The dark woman, perplexed, stepped back. "Barbara?"

"What is happening to you, Helena?"

"I…. I'm sorry…"

Helena hesitated a few seconds. She saw Barbara trying to sit and she hurried to help her. What the hell had she done? She grabbed her arm and looked her.

"I'm sorry, Barbara, I didn't…"

Suddenly, the face of woman on the floor changed again to Quinzel's, the blonde woman laughed hard

"Come on, Helena," she said. "Don't be pathetic. You are mine, nothing can change it."

The brunette moved away quickly, in surprise. What the hell was happening?

The blonde smiled, holding her knees against her chest. "You love my hands and my mouth on your body, you love what I make you feel every time I touch you, every time I'm inside you…" Her eyes sparkled devilishly. "…Every time I make you mine."

"No…" Helena took another step back. "No, I'm not…"

Quinzel laughed hard and Helena covered her ears. She didn't want hear this anymore. She turned and ran toward the big doors of the balcony. She needed to escape, to be far from her.

"You always will be mine, Helena." It was the last thing she heard before she jumped off the balcony.


	7. Chapter 7

"Helena!"

Barbara watched her, stunned, as she ran outside; she was disturbed, very disturbed. The young woman had fallen asleep on her lap watching a movie; she had been distractedly scratching her head when Helena begun to move restlessly and whimper softly. She knew she was in the middle of a nightmare and had shaken her a bit to wake her up.

The younger woman woke suddenly and had abruptly opened her eyes. She saw terror in her pupils, and, petrified, the young woman had pushed herself back, far from her. The movement had caused the girl to lose her balance and fall to the floor. Barbara had tried to hold on to the her, but the suddenness of Helena's movement caught her off guard.

The brunette had stared at her, disconcerted, breathing hard and heavy, looking at her with wide eyes as if she was a demon; she was trembling; Helena never showed fear, as she had seen in her eyes tonight.

She had seen that face just one time before.

Fear, terror, loneliness.

Seven years before, after Selina's death. Helena was hurt, in pain.

It had happened a few months after Helena had moved in with her. The young girl had been grumpy and absent all day. After returning from school, she had locked herself in her room. Barbara had felt useless, physically and as a person; it was so hard to try to connect with a difficult teen, and even more so when she still couldn't understand and handle all the emotions that were inside herself.

How do you help someone when you are hurting too?

But she couldn't lose her. So, she had gone to talk to the teen, only to find her in her room in darkness. She was startled when she saw the shining, feral eyes reflecting in the dark room. She wheeled toward her and found herself trapped in eyes filled with fear, helplessness and pain. Helena was lost without her mother. She was alone in the world; she didn't have family, she didn't know if she had a father. She was alone in a dark city, living with a paraplegic woman.

The redhead had moved out of her chair to sit on the floor next to her; Helena had finally let Barbara embrace her; then, the girl had hugged her back and cried, letting her locked emotions flow out of her heart. It broke her heart. Helena was a sweet girl whose world had been shattered suddenly; she couldn't understand it, she didn't know about her mother's dark past.

Barbara had cried, too, healing her soul, she hadn't cried in front of anyone, or alone. They had both held the pain in for too long.

The look that she had seen then, was the same one that she saw tonight.

Helena seemed to be lost in another world, she was seeing someone that she hated, someone of whom she was afraid.

Barbara sat on the floor and rubbed her wrist; surely, she would have a bruise. Helena had a strong grip on her. Her brain struggled to understand what had happened to Helena. She had rejected her 

touch with hate, the girl had yelled at her not to touch her, but she was sure she wasn't referring to her, but another woman. She had said 'Bitch!'

Just, which woman?

And afterwards, when she had recognized her, Helena realized her mistake and had tried to help her, only to change again in a few seconds. The brunette was seeing something that really frightened her. And she was going to investigate what it was.

She pushed the table back with her hands and pulled herself toward her chair next to the couch. Helena was inside some deep nightmare and she needed to wake her up. Two names came to mind: Harley Quinn and Scarecrow. They were the only ones that she knew of that could play with people´s mind.

Quinn had been in jail for the past seven months, but she was a dangerous criminal and Barbara knew she could never say never with that mad woman; Scarecrow was free, but his criminal activity was low. She would try to locate him and check on him.

* * *

She was a damn coward. She attacked Barbara and ran. How was it possible that she had done such a thing? To the most important person in her life? Maybe she needed help, but… how could she face the older woman after what had happened?

What was happening?

She still didn't know.

It was frightening.

She was frightened.

Her arms crossed over her knees, the brunette sat with her back to the wall on the eleventh floor of one of the tallest buildings in New Gotham. The nightmares were really scaring her; not just because she could feel the woman's hands on her, smell her breath… she felt as if Quinzel was still controlling her. It was a feeling had her nerves on the edge.

Every time it was the same, her body responding to the crazy blonde, her mind lost in sensations and tastes. The strength of her nightmares was increasing. It was hard to admit, but she was afraid of not handling it, afraid of losing control.

She was still shaking, her entire body was shaking.

Shit. She brushed her hair back with both of her shaking hands and stared at the city below. Streets full of cars and lights. Her mind twisted in confusion, she couldn't think straight, she needed to control herself, but the voice was still there, echoing in her hears, burying in her skull.

'You will always be mine'.

She lowered her head and covered it with her hands. She didn't want to listen; it was as if Quinzel was inside her head. The sentence repeated over and over in her ears.

"Shut up…" she growled in a low voice.

What had she done?

She had almost hurt Barbara.

Correction…

She had hurt Barbara…

Thinking she was Quinzel, she had pulled the redhead against the table and she was sure she had bruised her arm with her strong grip on her wrist. She had run away instead of staying to help her. She never ran away. She would never abandon Barbara when she was in possession of all her faculties. She was not acting rationally; she was not herself. She couldn't understand her reaction… She felt fear; a deep and terrifying fear that she hadn't felt in years. A fear that she couldn't control.

What was happening to her?

'You will always be mine'.

She could have sworn it was Quinzel in the living room. A second later, it was Barbara, wincing because she had hit her back on the table in the living room. It was even more confusing when Barbara's face changed in front of her eyes to Quinzel again.

Her hands were still shaking.

Damn!

Angrily, she stood up and slammed her hand against the wall with all her strength, trying to clear her mind and stop the voice inside her head. Maybe it was not the best idea because she saw flashes in front of her eyes at the same time that she heard the bricks of the wall breaking and the bones of her hand cracking.

"Fuck!" she growled, grimacing in pain and cradling her hand.

Great, now she was really screwed, she was sure her hand was broken. She bent over and bit her lips. That had really hurt.

It took her a few seconds to recover her breath. Well, at least it had helped to clear her mind. Quinzel's voice was not in her head anymore.

Barbara.

Her thoughts moved toward her.

Brave hero she was.

Her knuckles were bleeding, she tried to touch her hand, but it hurt like hell. Oh great. She took a tissue out of her pocket and covered her hand carefully. This would take a couple of days to heal. She was half-meta, right, but not Superman.

But she would wait, she needed to know how Barbara was doing. Her eyes looked up and she could see the Clock Tower in the distance. She sighed with sadness.

She wanted so much be there and know if she was all right, but… she was so ashamed of her behavior; Barbara would be seriously disappointed in her. The redhead never would abandon her; she never did it.

Barbara was probably pissed now. She had disappointed her…

Again.

The shaggy head bent. She felt like shit.

She had failed Barbara so many times in her life, and Barbara had always been there with infinite patience, always trying to support her with love and warmth. She had been there in her worst and darkest years. She had saved her.

And she, she that said she loved Barbara with all her soul and heart, had run away and left her alone, scared of a stupid frikkin´ nightmare; like a scared child.

Maybe she was that, just a child. Barbara was too much for her and she was aiming too high. She had dreamed of her all these years; her heart had a light hope that maybe Barbara would see her; and the truth was that she didn't deserve the love of a woman like her.

Her eyes locked on the Clock Tower again.

Barbara would surely still be frightened by her behavior; and annoyed at her silent exit. Maybe the redhead needed help and she was here, just standing around like an idiot.

Helena hesitated; she needed to know how she was. After all, it was her fault. Without thinking anymore, she gave jumped to the rooftop of the building closest to her.

* * *

"The anniversary of her mom's death is close, could it be that?" Dinah asked, kneeling on the floor as she cleaned the coffee from the wooden floor. When Barbara fell on the table, she knocked over dishes, snacks, cups and glasses.

The teen returned home after Barbara called her. Her guardian had explained what had happened and they had immediately looked for the brunette in her usual places, like the Dark Horse and No Man's Land, but were unsuccessful. Gibson hadn't seen her in days, but said he would ask his friends to keep their eyes open. It would be hard to find her; when Helena turned off her mic, it meant she didn't want to be found.

"Maybe, but I'm not sure… she was really scared." The redhead put pieces of a broken glass in a trash can. She paused, then continued. "She had a look in her eyes that I haven't seen in years… it was as if she was seeing a monster."

"Maybe you need to talk with her seriously about those dreams."

"I did the other day... she said they're just nightmares. I asked her to trust me and to talk to me when something is wrong." She leaned over and continued picking up the small pieces on the floor.

"I'm sure this is about the anniversary." Dinah looked at her mentor's wrist. It was really bruised. "She really hurt you."

"It's okay, I'm used to this. In fact, I had worse bruises when I was Batgirl."

"I can imagine." The girl used a cloth to clean the floor. "I don't know how you could handle so many bad guys without powers."

"Training."

"Helped you to become a good detective."

"Yes, that too."

"I'd like be as good a detective as you someday."

"You are very good, Dinah, don't forget it."

The blonde finished cleaning and put the cloth in a trash can. She put her hands on her knees.

"Do you want me to run another sweep? Maybe I'll find something."

Barbara brushed back the hair that fell over her face. She straightened and looked outside, through the windows. The night was dark, no moon. She liked this kind of darkness; it was like feeling the power of nature, what else could cover half of the world in darkness? No human power, just the natural one.

Helena was a force of nature. A natural soul -- wild, untamed, almost like the night. She had a strange feeling. In some way, she felt Helena was okay and she just needed some time to be alone. She was not really alone, the night was her sanctuary. It soothed her; it was her place to pray and heal her wounds.

She always knew that Helena had a strange and fascinating connection with the night since she was a child. She had seen it in her eyes. However, she hated every time the younger woman did this; every time she avoided talking and hid. She was good with her fists and feet, but very bad with words.

She sighed and shook her head. "I don't think you will find her, she is hiding."

"From who?"

Barbara wheeled her chair back "From whom," she corrected absentmindedly. "Maybe herself; she will come back and then… I promise you, we'll have a serious talk. Let's go to bed." She was sure she wouldn't sleep, but she couldn't do any more… at the moment.

Dinah didn't like the idea, but, as Barbara said, they couldn't do anything else. Helena would appear when she was ready, she was sure of it. And she would do it soon as soon as she realized that she almost hit Barbara.

Outside, a dark figure crouched next to a gargoyle, holding her wrist. Her first and only thought while she was running toward the tower was Barbara; she had left her lying on the floor. Maybe she was hurt and needed help and Helena had run away like a damn coward. As soon as she arrived, she felt a great relief seeing that the kid was there and that Barbara was sitting in her chair. At first sight she seemed fine. Her mind yelled at her to go inside and check on Barbara, but she was afraid she would be angry -- and surely she would be.

She felt a stab of pain in her hand.

Crap. It hurt like hell.

Her fingers were swollen; she needed to bandage her hand. She was meta, not bionic, and she couldn't ask Barbara for help this time.

She looked again inside the Clock tower. Red was okay, that was the important thing, now she needed to think about how to apologize and ask for forgiveness. She couldn't tell her about Quinzel. What would she say anyway?

My dreams are about me fucking the mad woman who killed Wade?

She winced; her hand was throbbing.

She stood up and looked down. It had been difficult to climb up with her broken hand and it would be only a bit less difficult to descend.

Great. Just great.


	8. Chapter 8

She was staring at the screen of the Delphi. She tried all day, but she couldn't concentrate. All her thoughts were on Helena and her strange behavior. As she used to do when she didn't want to talk with anyone, her young friend had turned off her mic and hadn't answered her phone.

She needed to keep working on her research about the mysterious 'boss' that was trying to buy sophisticated, illegal weapons. She opened a window on her computer, maybe she would find something in the Interpol files. Hacking it was a piece of cake.

Barbara looked at the clock on the screen. She hadn't called Helena repeatedly, but it didn't mean she wasn't worried about her; so she had looked for other ways to figure out if she was okay. Monitoring the security cameras around New Gotham had been unsuccessful, as had calling Reese. Luckily, she knew her pretty well, and she had sent the teen to look in all her favorite night spots.

The usual codes didn't work, they changed the passwords every day, so it was always a small challenge.

Helena really had an unknown dark side. She sometimes wondered if Helena was straight or not. She used to date men, so many that she had lost count.

Barbara opened another window and tried to find the correct password.

But she was sure that Helena was open minded and that she had 'female' adventures, too.

She stopped her typing, the thought made her feel a bit uncomfortable, what if Helena had a girlfriend and she didn't know it? Of course, Helena never had said a word about dating women, but it was a possibility.

Nah… she shook her head and kept looking for the code.

The brunette just talked about her crazy parties, her wild friends, but she was quiet about to whom her heart belonged.

She thought that the man of her dreams would be Reese, the handsome detective, but she seemed to just have fun with him -- flirting and going out some times, nothing formal. Helena was a strange and fascinating combination, sweet and tender, sometimes a child and, at other times, an aggressive character, a bad attitude the power to kill.

A deadly combination.

No one code worked… she needed to be careful to avoid being detected, she tried another combination, her hands dancing across the keyboard.

Many people feared Helena, but not her. Barbara was afraid for her; she knew that Helena was vulnerable and easily hurt, emotionally. For that reason, she hid her feelings and her real self behind that strong, stubborn personality.

She wheeled her chair back in annoyance. Damn. It was useless; she couldn't keep her mind focused on work, just Helena. She moved toward her room and changed her clothes for bed.

* * *

She had been trying all day to organize her thoughts, to find a way to apologize and to say "Sorry I screwed everything up." She was still feeling guilty for Wade's death, for Barbara sadness. It was all in her mind. She needed to calm down and control her guilt. That was the thing that was creating the dreams. She was sure of it.

Yesterday was a nice day. The lunch, the talk, the laughs. She had laughed so much, She closed her eyes and saw Barbara next to her, watching a movie… the feel of those long fingers playing on her skull. The warmth and happiness that had filled her…

And she had fucked it up with her nightmares.

She had been walking and walking with no destination, trying to find the courage to step into the Clock Tower and say "I'm sorry. I'm trying to find a reason for those stupid nightmares. I'm trying to stop feeling like Quinzel's puppet." The bitch was in jail; she hadn't seen her since that day, but in the last month she had felt her inside her head.

Finally, at the end of the day she was here, standing outside the window of her beloved friend -- freezing and feeling like an ass as she looked for a way to apologize.

She heard the door of Barbara's bedroom opening and she crouched, hiding to the side of the window. Light filled the room. She pressed her back against the cold wall and closed her eyes, listening to her heart racing. Dammit. It pissed her off sometimes that she felt like a stupid teenager in love. She heard the sound of the motorized chair and waited a few seconds. The sound changed. Barbara had moved. She was sure of it.

The sound stopped.

She slowly turned her head to look through the window.

Barbara was not on the bed or brushing her hair. Her eyes moved to from one side to the other, trying to find her. Blue eyes finally found their target. In the reflection of the big mirror in the bathroom, she could see Barbara sitting on the stool with her back to her, making a pony tail.

She would go inside and talk with her now.

It was as if she was carrying a big empty space inside her heart, knowing that she couldn't talk with her, enjoy her company. Barbara might be angry and maybe she would yell at her, but she would endure it, it was worse to not be able to be close to her.

Her thoughts almost stopped when, with a quick movement, the redhead removed her blouse. Her back was spectacular, firm, soft, with a few sprinkles on it.

Her mouth was dry.

No bra…

Wow…

She was so beautiful.

Barbara stretched her arms and slowly moved her head in circles. Then, she kept still and lowered her head. She moved a hand to her shoulder and began to rub it slowly.

Helena's eyes were glued to the redhead's movements. She almost could feel her own hands rubbing those slender shoulders, not just rubbing her shoulders, feeling each inch of soft skin under her fingertips. She could then lean in and kiss her long neck, feel her tremble under her caress; her 

hands moving slowly following the lines of her arms, down where she would find her soft hands and intertwining their fingers.

Then she would turn her head and steal a kiss from Barbara's lips. A soft kiss, where she would give herself to her, in just one caress, letting Barbara see her soul, her heart, her unconditional and eternal love for her.

She needed a cold shower.

Helena sighed, blinking. Barbara was not in the reflection anymore. She had gone long ago. Her eyes identified the sound of water running.

She opened the window slowly and moved inside the room. She needed to talk with Red.

She couldn't wait any longer and, besides, if she kept hiding the older woman would get angrier each day. She sat on the small sofa next to the window and tapped with her fingers on the arm. She began to repeat over and over, in her head, how to apologize to Barbara.

After a few minutes, she couldn't sit anymore, so she stood up and paced slowly in the room.

She would say she was deeply asleep –which was true- and then explain that she was dreaming about an old enemy –also true- and that she was fighting with her –that was not exactly true, but it was much better than saying she was fucking her- and that, then, she woke up and the dream was so vivid that she thought that Barbara was the her –again, true-.

Maybe she needed to change the beginning, but the main problem was that she would have a hard time trying to explain why she had run away and disappeared for so long…. Barbara was smart. Maybe she could say that she awoke this morning at her home and thought it was all a dream and she…

No, that was not going to work. She brushed her hair back.

She could tell her that she had stumbled and fell. She would say she had hit her head andonly retuned to consciousness a few hours ago.

No….

She played with her fingers over her mouth. She would say she'd had a nightmare and that, then, she had run away still confused by her dream -well, that was a fact that she couldn't deny- and that she had found a bad guy on the streets with meta-powers and they had…

"What are you doing here?"

The voice really caught her off guard.

Oh shit.

Barbara was at her bathroom door with a hand on the towel over her head and a light robe covering –barely; she swallowed- her body. She had been so deep in her thoughts that she didn't hear the woman finish her shower and wheel inside the room.

"Hi…" the brunette mumbled.

Barbara noticed her bandaged hand, she lowered the towel with which she was drying her hair and stared at her. "Helena, what happened to you?"

Double shit. In her catalogue of excuses, she hadn't thought of any explanations about how she had broken her hand.

"Was an accident…"

"I know your 'accidents'. Did you cut your hand??" Barbara was next to her in the blink of an eye, and took her hand.

The young woman winced. "Ouch…"

"Your hand is broken?" the red head asked, surprised.

"Yeah, but…it's fine…"

Green eyes burned in anger. She was really in trouble now.

"No, it's not fine." Barbara threw the towel toward the bed and turned toward one of her drawers/ "Sit."

"Barb..."

The older woman stopped and turned her head. "I said, sit." Her gaze wasnot friendly; she was in pissed off. It was best to not contradict her and obey.

Barbara took out a first aid kit she had inside the drawer. She wheeled toward Helena and put the box on the table next to the couch where the brunette was sitting.

"What happened?" the redhead asked, taking the scanner and carefully taking the young woman's hand. It was swollen and bruised.

"I hit a wall." Shaggy bangs ducked; a mistake.

Telling the truth was not a good idea at this moment. Barbara didn't show any emotion; she kept her eyes on her electronic device. After a few seconds, she put it to the side.

"All right," she said, "you have a trauma. You have fractured your scaphoid and your ring finger… but it's in good alignment, you will need a cast for a week, anyone else would need it for five weeks or more; I'll need to cast your forearm and wrist. Let's go to the lab."

The redhead wheeled outside her room. Helena was afraid to speak, so she just followed her in silence. Barbara was a very controlled person, but when she was mad, she was mad. Angry Barbara was much worse than angry Helena. She felt her heart beating fast, waiting for the moment in which the redhead would pounce on her and rip out her throat.

Barbara went toward her cabinet, looking for the items that she needed.

Her hand still hurt like hell. She sat and extended her arm carefully.

Barbara wheeled toward her and put the tray with supplies on the exam table.

"I imagine you bandaged your arm-- never do it again." Barbara said, carefully taking the brunette's hand and lifting the scissors to cut the bandage. "You will screw it up if you don't first check the bones." She began to cut the material slowly, to avoid hurting the brunette with an abrupt movement. "Now, could you tell me what's going on with you? You attacked me, ran away as if you had seen a ghost and disappeared, leaving me worried as hell about you." She laced her last words with anger. "And tonight I found you stalking in my room at two in the morning with a broken hand."

"I'm sorry, Barbara, I'm really sorry," Helena hurried to say.

Barbara removed the bandage from Helena's hand with an abrupt movement.

"Shit!" the young woman cried. The 'I'm sorry' thing hadn't been successful; her hand was really throbbing now.

Barbara examined the hand carefully and looked for an injection in her tray.

She didn't like needles, but, in this case, she knew would be useless to argue with Barbara.

"It's very swollen, you will need this." The former Batgirl took a small bottle and prepared a solution.

"And I'm still waiting for your explanation, Helena."

"I'm sorry… It was a pretty bad nightmare… I didn't mean to hit you." She had thought about it so much and had been staring at the older woman from outside, from the balcony, hesitating, afraid of Barbara's reaction. She had hurt the redhead in her craziness and she needed to find a good excuse for her behavior. It was difficult to talk about her dreams. After all, it was just a little uncomfortable talking about fucking the person who tried to screw up their lives and whose boyfriend killed her mom and stole Barbara's ability to walk.

"You didn't," Barbara inserted the needle close to the wrist of Helena's wounded hand, "But you almost did it."

"Ouch! That hurt! I hurt you… I threw you against th…"

Barbara moved back and interrupted her words "That did not hurt you…. What hurts me is that you keep hiding what's going on from me." She threw the needle in the trash.

Helena remained still, without saying a word.

"About what are your nightmares?" Barbara played with her fingers against her chin. "Wait, let me rephrase… About whom are your nightmares?"

Pinned by a hard gaze, Helena moved back uncomfortably. The redhead took a new bandage and moved toward the brunette.

"It's not "who" Barbara…" Helena mumbled. Her mentor was pushing her against the wall.

"Well, explain it to me, then, because I don't understand."

Helena's eyes fixed on slender hands moving gently to bandage her hand. She noticed a dark bruise on her friend's wrist. She had screwed up again. She had hurt Barbara. She put her free hand over Barbara's gently.

Barbara stopped her work, surprised by the gentle movement and raised her eyes to meet blue pupils.

"I'm sorry," Helena whispered. "I didn't mean scare you, I didn't want to hurt you."

Barbara couldn't hold that look mixed with sorrow, sadness and love.

The brunette ducked her head, ashamed. "I didn't want to ran away, you know I never would, but…"

The redhead didn't speak, she waited for her, she gave her time to organize her thoughts, to trust in her. To open her heart.

The dark woman sighed, still staring at her former mentor's bruised wrist. She needed to tell her, but… she was so ashamed to confess something so dirty.

She felt dirty. She didn't want to disappoint her… more.

"It was about that night..." She finally said, turning her gaze to the side and releasing Barbara's hand. She didn't have guts to look her in the eyes. "About the night when you and mom…"

"Why didn't you want to tell me?" Barbara asked, exasperated, as she finished bandaging Helena's hand. "This is not the first time, we have talked about this, I asked you to trust me and you said "you would."

"I didn't want to worry you…"

"You know very well it worries me more not knowing what's wrong with you."

"I'm sorry, Barbara…"

"Why did you run away?" Barbara couldn't hide her anger any longer. "Why did you just leave and disable your mic? Why didn't you call me all day? Why is your hand broken? Why did you…?"

"Because I was ashamed!" Helena stood up, extending her hands. "I felt ashamed that I threw you against the table, because I almost hit you in my madness!! That a dream was so strong! I broke my hand hitting a wall because I was frustrated and annoyed with myself! Because I had run away like a damn coward and had left you here alone!! I didn't know how to come back and tell you I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Barbara, I'm really sorry." She held the red head's gaze, asking for understanding, for forgiveness.

Barbara shook her head and took the cast.

"Please sit."

Helena obeyed in silence, extending her hand on the medical table again. She felt defeated, tired… stupid.

"Helena…" Barbara said, almost in a whisper. "Please don't do this to me again. Don't leave me here alone like you did yesterday."

Helena lowered her head, hiding behind unruly hair. Both were silent for a few moments.

The older woman secured the cast on the young woman's arm. She was sad, she knew Helena's nature. She knew that she still had a hard time trusting others. She knew Helena trusted her, but she also knew that the brunette kept silent about her fears, it made her feel vulnerable. Barbara would love to have the girl's total confidence.

Helena had a hard time looking at the redhead; she had lied again and she was really worried. She was failing her again. Barbara was touching her so gently, just asking her to be honest, to be open with her. And she was trying, but she couldn't… she couldn't confess the dark secret plaguing her mind.

Barbara finished her work and turned to pick up her items. "All done, you can go."

She didn't hear any movement or sound by her young partner and turned to find deep blue eyes watching her.

"I'm fighting my nightmares, Barbara," Helena said, trying to find the correct words, "But it's hard when you don't know how to handle it. I have incredible abilities, but fighting yourself, you know, it's harder. It's harder than a fight with punches, kicks… because you are fighting against your own fears and limitations. I'm trying, Barbara, I promise, and I'm not going to give up… just give me time…"

Barbara took a deep breath and smiled. She nodded and took the brunette's hand in her own. "Just remember I'll be always here to support you."

"I know." Helena lifted her hand and kissed her fingers. "Thanks."

Barbara knew Helena was trying, and that's what was important.


	9. Chapter 9

"Someone must help these guys, they disappear easily," the teen said, drinking a coke and dancing in her place. The night club was full of young people drinking, smoking and laughing. The music was excellent. She had dreamed of come to this place a long time ago, but she was a minor.

Finally, her dream had come true, and it was pretty cool.

"Do you think?" Helena asked, leaning on a wall with a drink on her hand, her other hand inside her pocket. She was staring at her shoes.

They were dirty.

"They always disappear easily. And the arsenal they are creating is not something that would be easy to hide." Dinah sipped a bit more of her coke.

"We'll catch them." Helena brushed her shoe against her pants.

"Yes, we must stop them before they start a war." Dinah noticed a woman that stepped close to her friend.

The woman eyed to her up-down. The brunette didn't seem to realize it.

Helena extended her feet. Yeah, now it looked much better.

"Why are people so obsessed with power? I will never understand it," the blonde said, resting her back on a rail and turning to look at her.

Helena brushed her other shoe against her pant leg, too. Dinah crossed her arms. Helena was definitely in another world. She looked at another woman sitting at the bar that hadn't stopped staring at the brunette all night.

"Hi, beautiful." The blonde turned her head in time to see a woman who had walked up to Helena, smiling.

Helena smiled back and winked at her. The woman was a tall blonde and had a great body; her mini-dress didn't leave much to the imagination and it had snagged Helena's attention.

"She is happy that you are coming home more often," Dinah said, trying to regain her attention.

That got her interest, Helena forgot the woman and lifted her head to look at the teen.

"She told me." The girl kept talking to her, "she said she missed you a lot."

The brunette just smiled to herself. It was good to know that Barbara missed her. She had missed her too, more than she could imagine.

"But she is worried about your behavior…"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"You must, you almost pounced on her a few days ago."

"I said I don't want talk about it," the brunette said coldly.

"Well, you must, before you hurt someone, or yourself, seriously…" Dinah pointed at Helena's hand.

Helena ignored her and turned her head to the side. She was not in the mood to talk about it. She was at the club that night because she had promised to take the kid to one of the most famous night clubs in the city as a thank you for saving her life that day at the warehouse, and it was much better than letting the blond borrow her blue skirt.

Another woman appeared from nowhere and she stepped close to Helena. This one was worse than the other one, she looked like Gisele Bündchen. Dinah couldn't believe her partner was so popular with the same sex. She thought the older woman was just stubborn and grumpy all the time.

"Hi, Tiger, are you alone?"

"She is with me," Dinah hurried to say, grabbing her arm. Helena rolled her eyes.

"Oh… you like kids." The woman winked at her and put a piece of paper in her right pocket "When you want to be with a real woman call me."

The woman turned and suggestively walked toward the bar. Helena felt her mouth go dry, she was damn hot; wow. She turned to glare at her friend. "You are not with me."

"I am, you brought me here." Dinah looked around, it was full with women and men… but…. her eyes examined each corner of the place just to be sure. Suddenly, she gasped. She glared at Helena. "Are we in a gay bar?"

"Yep."

"You brought me to a gay club?"

"You wanted to come here." Helena sipped her drink.

"But you could have warned me!!" Dinah said indignantly.

The brunette lifted an eye brow. "Don't tell me that you are scandalized to be in a gay club."

"No, but you should have told me."

"No one has flirted with you, what's the problem?" she shrugged her shoulders.

"Does Barbara know you are gay?" the teen asked curiously.

"I don't think so, I never talk to her about the girls, just the boys. You know her. Maybe I would make her feel uncomfortable." The brunette looked for the paper inside her pocked and read it.

"Wait… so you date boys too?" Pale blue eyes opened wide, shocked.

"Of course I have date men too, but after being with a woman, no more men for me."

"I thought you and Reese…"

"Oh, we flirt sometimes," Helena said, winking at the blonde that had gave her the paper. "It's just fun. I used to do it with men."

Dinah took the piece of paper that Helena had in her hand.

"Hey! Give that to me!" the dark crime fighter protested.

"I didn't know you were so popular with girls."

"What did you expect? I'm sexy and hot."

"Why are you flirting with other girls, if your heart belongs to Barbara?" Dinah ripped the paper into pieces.

"Flirting is a game kid. Nothing serious. It's like an sport. You must practice every day to be the best."

Dinah sighed and shook her head. "Barbara said you have been nice."

"Is that bad?" Helena said.

"'Very nice" Dinah emphasized each word. "You know… If you don't want her to notice what you feel for her, you better not be so nice. You can be nice, but not too much, it's not you. You understand? You are only that nice when you are courting a new love. Have you been that nice with her?"

"Well…" Helena sighed, giving her empty glass to a waiter that walked by her, "Maybe I kinda flirted a bit the other night."

"Fli…? You flirted with her?" The teen almost choked on her coke. She never thought Helena would have the courage to do it.

"Yeah, just to know… Do you know? She was in the kitchen trying to get a coffee bag on a high shelf. "

"No, I don't know."

"Whatever, she didn't notice it."

"What did you do?"

The dark woman quirked an eyebrow again. What the hell was she doing talking about this with a teenager?

The brave criminal fighter, the terror of the darkness, the hunter of the night; the hero most feared by the worst criminals in the underworld was in love like a corny girl-- with a woman that didn't see her.. and she had a teenager as a confidant.

This would ruin her reputation. She really needed to find more friends.

"I was trying to see if she would react…" she explained, avoiding Dinah's eyes. "Maybe if she knew I'm interested in her, it would wake up her interest in me."

"Oh… I see… and?"

"Well, as you said, she is pretty distracted and, essentially, completely clueless. But don't worry, I think I must move on."

"Move on?"

Helena sighed. Why she didn't have a dumb partner like Oliver and Hardy? Abbot and Costello? Of all the metas in the world, she had a smart girl as a partner, and worse, she was just a damn teen.

"She will never look at me as a woman," she finally said.

"I thought that was the point." Dinah raised her finger.

"What?"

"She sees you as a woman and she is a woman, too." Dinah crossed her arms and looked at her partner. "Things would be different if you were a man."

"But I'm not a man."

"Yes, I know, so you are screwed with her."

"You are not very helpful." Helena glared at her "Has anyone ever told you that before?"

"I'm telling you the truth! You are screwed! She loves men, not women!"

"Forget it, let's go." The dark woman walked toward the exit, followed by the teen. She was not in the mood for this 'supportive' conversation.

"Why so soon?" Dinah asked, disappointed.

"You were complaining a few minutes ago because we are in a gay club."

"But music is fun."

Helena shook her head. Barbara would surely look for them soon to start sweeps. At least coming here had helped to distract her a bit from her dreams.

Maybe Dinah was right and Barbara would never see her as a love interest because she was a woman, but this was something that was unrelated to being a man or a woman. It was just about feelings and she was sure Barbara would love her as much as Helena loved her. She needed to figure out what was in the redhead's mind.

* * *

"So, then, Gabby asked me to go with her to the cafeteria and I went. The guys were working on a science project and they were stuck on a formula; I read the problem and I noticed the solution was easy. So I explained the solution to their problem and they were surprised. They were very happy and told me I'm smart. And, Barbara, I didn't use my TK. They invited me to a party this weekend. It's a big place close to the beach called "Coconuts", people says it's pretty cool and.."

Barbara worked at the Delphi while Dinah sat next to her recounting her entire day at school and her activities. She leaned over the screen and pushed her eyeglasses up her nose with her index finger, wondering why nature hadn't provided teenagers with a 'pause' button. She wondered if she had talked that much when she was young. She couldn't remember, but she was pretty sure she had just been focused on books and studying.

It was hard to concentrate on her work with one part of her brain listening to Dinah and the other part thinking about Helena. She seemed to have returned to normal. She hadn't mentioned anything about her nightmares in the last week.

"It's cool, no?" Dinah said finally.

"Yes," Barbara said, noticing she had been so distracted that she hadn't heard the entire conversation. "It's pretty cool." She needed to pay a bit more attention to her.

"I'm happy. I don't think I'm the nerd I thought I was."

"You are not a nerd. You are a smart and wonderful girl." Barbara put her hand gently on her charge's arm. "You were insecure, but, now, you are growing and that confidence helps you a lot. People see you differently, not just as a shy girl."

"Thanks, Barbara, I'm happy because people are not just seeing me as 'zipper girl' or a nerd. Helena must have changed her mind too, she finally took me to a bar…" The "r" sound faded off as Dinah realized her grievous mistake.

Barbara narrowed her eyes. "Helena took you to a bar?"

"Well…not a bar, it's a cool place where you can dance and listen to music."

"And drink…" Barbara lifted an eyebrow.

Dinah lowered her head and tucked some hair nervously behind her ear. "Well.. that too," she mumbled.

"A bar, then."

Grimacing with an "I'm really sorry" face, Dinah nodded. She was in big trouble now. Why couldn't she keep her mouth shout?

"Well, what bar was it?" Barbara hated the idea of a teenager inside a bar. Especially the one living with her. She and Helena would have a serious talk later, but, now, she tried to sound casual to find out exactly what had happened.

"Everybody talked about the "W" as a great place… so… I asked her…"

"You asked her?"

"Yeah… I was taunting her. I wanted her to lend me her blue skirt, but she wouldn't, so I asked for this instead and she said yes and I thought…."

"Stop." The redhead raised her hand. She needed to back up a bit and Dinah sometimes talked in a very confusing way. "You asked Helena to take you to a bar, knowing that you are too young?"

Dinah nodded.

"Why?"

"Remember that I rescued her that day when that guy hit her hard on her head? She told me she owed me a favor and I told her that I wanted her blue skirt one night and she said "No way, anything except that."

"So you asked her to take you to the bar."

"Yes, I was sure that she would say no, but she said okay." Dinah played with her fingers nervously.

"All right, I got it… and what happened, then?" Barbara asked focusing all her attention on the young girl. This was interesting, Dinah blackmailing Helena, who would believe it? She removed her eyeglasses and chewed the arm. Her inner gears started to work again, now that her initial surprise was over, Dinah minor at bar big problem for Helena.

"Well… we went there. I figured she must have talked with one of her friends because I got in easily."

"Figures." Barbara nodded.

"But I didn't drink any alcohol," Dinah said quickly. "Helena only let me have lemonade and cokes."

"I see she was worried about your health and safety."

"Yes…" Dinah lowered her head.

"And… what happened then, Dinah?"

"The place is cool and the music is excellent. I danced, but in my place; Helena was right next to me the entire time, she was there almost all night, standing next to me with a scotch…"

"Oh, I see…" Barbara said in an ironic tone, "It was very nice of her keep an eye on you. She forgot to flirt with the men."

"Well, actually she didn't flirt with men." Dinah put her hands on the seat of her chair and lowered her gaze to look at the floor.

This time the redhead blinked, turning the words around in her head, analyzing them from several angles. Did she mean that Helena hadn't flirted at all? Or that…? "She didn't flirt with any men… So, with whom did she flirt?"

Dinah closed her eyes. She had opened her big mouth again. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

"Dinah…."

"Well… I didn't know before, I know now because I asked her why so many women were eyeing her or flirting with her."

"Was Helena flirting with women?" Barbara had a strange feeling in her gut, as if it was suddenly empty.

"Oh no, no…" Dinah explained trying to correct herself. "I was dancing in my place and I noticed they were trying to get her attention; they called her 'beautiful', 'tiger'…"

"Tiger?"

"I guess she must be good in bed."

"Stop, I don't want to know." Barbara raised her hand again. She was suddenly really disconcerted. Helena liked women? The idea hit her brain hard. Sure, it had crossed her mind, but she'd never known for sure. An idea came to her mind suddenly and she felt a stab in her chest. Green eyes fixed on the ashamed girl. "Dinah, I want you to look at me."

Shyly, the teen obeyed. Her mentor was really annoyed this time. Why hadn't she shut her mouth is time?

"Is Helena flirting with you?" She held her breath.

The question surprised the teen. "Oh Jesus! No Barbara! That is sick!"

Barbara was incredibly relieved.

"She is a cranky!! And just looks for ways to piss me off!! Besides…" Dinah closed her mouth in the nick of time, for once. She was almost going to say the dark woman's heart belonged to another person. And surely Barbara would start to ask and…

"Besides?" Barbara asked, crossing her arms. At least she didn't need to kill Helena. If she was trying to seduce the teen, she would have to kick her ass even harder.

"I like guys." Dinah hurried to say. That was a good answer.

"You like guys."

"Of course I like guys. Helena is the one with the great sexual magnetism."

"What?" the older woman coughed. "Where did that come from?"

"She told me…. She has a great sexual magnetism."

"Sexual magnetism…" Barbara rubbed her forehead. She didn't want to imagine the conversation between those two.

"Well, many women were eyeing her!" the teenager explained. "And I asked her why and she told me that. That it's something that people emit. And she said she emits a 'great sexual magnetism'."

Barbara rolled her eyes. Helena was so vain.

"But Helena was not showing much interest in the women," Dinah added. "Just a really beautiful blonde caught her eye."

"Beautiful blonde?" Barbara was not sure if she wanted to keep listening to this story.

Dinah hit her head mentally against a wall, she had screwed it up again. Moronic! She tried to correct her words.

"Well… it's not her fault, the girl was hot… Well, I'm straight, but I can tell you she was really beautiful. She looked like Gisele Bündchen and she gave Helena her phone number."

"She gave Helena her phone number?"

"Helena didn't ask, she just gave it to her!"

"Oh…" Barbara crossed her arms, annoyed, "and I imagine she called her back, no?"

"No, no, I ripped up the paper. That was when I realized we were in a gay bar."

Barbara made her best personal effort not to blink. Now, that was new.

"It was a gay bar?"

The young girl bit the nail of her index finger and asked in low voice, noticing the angry look on Barbara's face. "Didn't I mention that before?"

"No…" that was enough. Helena was officially dead.

"Oh shit…" Dinah knew she was done for. What a way to fuck up everything in less than five minutes. It had to be some sort of record. Helena would kill her, if Barbara didn't kill Helena first.

Barbara took a deep breath; she organized her thoughts for a few seconds and moved forward, crossing her hands over her knees and looking to the blonde.

"Okay, again," she said in a controlled voice, "You are a minor -- straight, as I understand it."

Dinah nodded.

"And you asked Helena to take you to a gay bar when she didn't want you to borrow her blue skirt."

"Actually, I didn't know it was a gay bar until I saw the women flirting with Helena," Dinah interrupted.

"Okay, so… you asked Helena to take you to a bar that you didn't know was gay."

"Yes."

"And while you were dancing, Helena was flirting, thanks to her great 'sexual magnetism'?"

"Technically, the only one that got her interest was Gisele Bündchen."

"Okay, what happened next?"

"Nothing, we left. Helena said it was time and we left."

"All right." Barbara nodded. She moved back and pressed the buttons on her wheelchair, she turned toward the Delphi screen, "Grounded for a week."

"A week? But if…"

"And if you say one more word it will be two."

The teenager stood up, making a face. It was best was shut up and take the punishment. It was all her fault, she had screwed up. It was best to go now as she needed time look for a good hideout before Helena returned.


	10. Chapter 10

The brunette arrived late, after her shift at the Dark Horse Bar. They hadn't gone out on sweeps, but Barbara said she had something important to talk about. And if Red wanted to talk about something important, it would, without doubt, be important. Maybe it was about the 'Boss'-- they had discovered three hideouts over the last few days, almost thirty five tons of weapons. The man surely wasn't happy and would be looking for another place to hide his arsenal and recover all his lost equipment.

The Clock Tower was empty when she arrived. She looked around; the Delphi was in stand-by mode and a dim light filled the place. When the lights were dim lights, Barbara hadn't be there for a long time. She was probably taking a shower. So, in the meantime, Helena would kill her hunger. She went toward the kitchen and opened the cupboards, looking for pop-tarts. Finding some, she opened them and dropped them in the toaster.

She began to hum as she walked toward the fridge. She took a big bottle of cold milk and opened it.

She loved milk. It was a cat thing. She downed almost half of it immediately.

The toaster dinged, announcing the now toasted poptarts. She put them on a plate and sat at the table, eating happily.

Barbara wheeled into the kitchen with a dark green top that exposed the firm muscles of her arms; the black pants were almost pasted to her legs and her long red hair fell over her shoulders.

It was, in Helena's not so humble opinion, a really hot combination. She couldn't avoid staring at her. Wow. She really looked great—well, Barbara looked great in anything.

"Hi." She sipped more of her milk; her mouth was suddenly dry.

"Hi, 'Tiger'…."

The brunette coughed, spewing milk across the table.

"Careful, you will ruin your jacket." Barbara tossed her a napkin.

"Sorry… cough… "

"… Or do you prefer 'Beautiful'?"

Shit. Helena wiped her lips. She needed a quick idea to get herself out of this.

"So…" the redhead asked, taking a cookie from a plate on the kitchen table, "how was the night at the bar with Dinah?"

The attack would be hard and incessant; Barbara was not giving her time to breathe. She couldn't believe the kid had opened her big mouth, but she couldn't lie. Knowing Barbara, things would be worse and she didn't know how much the girl had said.

"She told you." The young woman cleaned the milk off the table.

"No. She would never betray you. Let's just say she gave me a hint…" the redhead smirked, "and then I just had to ask the right questions."

Helena rolled her eyes. As always, Dinah talked too much.

"It's not good that you teach her bad things."

"Come on, Barbara, I'm helping her practice empirical research."

"What?" Barbara narrowed her eyes.

"But don't worry, I kept an eye on her at all times."

"She is just a teenager, Helena!" Barbara said, exasperated. "Heavens!"

"Barbara, the kid needs to learn about life. They aren't bad things, just experiences."

"Then show her experiences proper for her age."

"Well, being a crime fighter is not exactly proper for her age." The brunette leaned back in her chair. Yes, this was going well. She was making good points.

"You know what I mean; you were in lots of trouble at that age."

"I was not."

"Are you sure? I spent half of my salary on Tylenol." Barbara crossed her arms over the table and leaned forward, glaring at her.

"Okay, okay, maybe I was a bit of a rebel… but I learned a lot." Helena crossed her hands over the table and also leaned forward, her eyes meeting Barbara's.

"Doesn't look like it."

"Hey, I'm still learning."

After such a long time living together, she had learned to read Helena like a book. Well, after Dinah's confession,… Helena had a damn charm that made difficult for Barbara not to give in and finish by asking her to just apologize. And she was very smart… she was now trying to distract her from the main topic.

"I would love," Barbara said, trying to go back to the topic at hand, "really love for you to explain to me why you took Dinah to a bar…?"

"She just danced and drank coke, I promise. She wanted to go to the bar. I thought it would be good for her."

" …a gay bar?"

Crap. Dinah was so dead.

"Oh… that…" Helena mumbled.

"Why did you take Dinah to a gay bar? You broke the rules, you helped her to get in a place that is prohibited for minors! You encouraged her to break the law! That is wrong! You know I hate that! Don't ever do this type of thing again!"

"Barbara!" Helena stood up. Why she was so stiff about this topic? "Please! Sometimes kids want to have fun! Life is not just about rules!"

"Helena, I could understand it if you were a teenager! But you are not a kid-- Look at you, you are a woman."

The brunette turned her head toward her. Barbara was seeing her as a woman? Had she really said that?

"You are a woman, a complete and mature woman."

Helena remained still, staring at her. "Do you think?"

Barbara's eyes examined the young woman in front of her-- slim, wild, with an incredible beauty and inner strength. She had noticed many times when they were out together how young men turned to see her, and how she flirted with them. She remembered how proud she had felt that Helena was sharing the time with her and not with other people, to get her complete attention. Helena really was sexy. Helena was not a kid anymore.

"Yes, you are… you are beautiful, Helena."

Both looked at each other in silence for long seconds. The brunette felt her heat beating harder. Barbara thought she was beautiful? WHOAA!! That was cool! Her gaze softened, she couldn't move her eyes away from that beloved face, trying to keep the moment forever. Barbara was looking her in a strange way, she had never seen it.

The older woman felt hypnotized under the gaze of the young woman. She was trapped, suddenly, in those familiar blue eyes. A lurch in her stomach and something she couldn't understand made her felt uncomfortable. She broke the moment, looking away.

"And understand please, Helena, a gay bar is not a good idea."

"So next time… I should take her to a straight bar?" the brunette asked, playfully.

Barbara rubbed her forehead. "I don't want you to take her to any bar!"

"Do you have something against gay people?"

"I don't have anything against gay people."

"You are angry because I took her to a gay bar." The brunette, amused, rested her hip on the table close to Barbara.

"Of course."

"So you don't like gay people."

"I have no problem with gay people. I don't like bars!"

"I don't believe it."

"I like all kind of people."

"I have an idea." Helena stood up, with a bit of poptart still inside her mouth and cleaned her fingers on the napkin. "Let´s go."

"Let's go where?"

"To show me you have nothing against gay people."

* * *

Only in Helena's mind would it be possible to conceive the idea of taking Dinah to a bar.

The plan was to scold Helena about her behavior and make her understand the young girl couldn't be in a bar, it was wrong. They were totally different, like night and day. Helena's experience when her mother died had changed her forever. Dinah could never be what Helena was. The brunette had been trying to escape her pain, experimenting with every wild thing she could find. Her emotions had been out of control.

Dinah's reaction was different after Black Canary's death. She had focused on school and work; it helped her that she hadn't really had a relationship with her mother since she was a small child.

Helena was a good girl – woman, Barbara corrected herself - with a big heart. She just needed to learn to respect limits. She was sure that experience would help her learn. She was just as Dinah said, stubborn and pig-headed; patience was the key with her. Usually she could subtly push Helena to her goal with persuasion and patience, and it was almost impossible for the brunette to convince her to do anything against her will. Usually, when she had a choice, it was because she had think about carefully, analyzing all possibilities.

She sipped of wine and tasted the texture. White, Italian, semi-sec, her favorite. She put the glass of wine on the table

Now… How the hell had Helena convinced her to go to the gay bar in question?

Definitely, her young charge always found a way to get what she wanted.

The brunette secured a V.I.P. lounge. It was ready when they arrived, as was a cold bottle of her favorite wine. She had thought of every detail. From her seat, she had a view of the entire bar and she didn't have to worry about people pushing her chair or stumbling against it. She watched the floor below; people were around tables talking and moving with the rhythm of the music. The main dance floor was full of men and women dancing. She took her cup of wine and played with it in her hand. As Helena said, the place was really nice.

Helena.

She smiled. Lifting her head, she studied the younger woman. She was dancing next to her; she was totally lost in her dance, with her eyes closed and moving her arms and hips with the loud music. The movements were soft, sensual like a cat; Helena had the same powerful sexuality of her mother.

She looked stunning wearing that pretty red blouse with long sleeves and red pants. It seemed they were painted to her body showing her nice...ass….

Nice ass?

Well, she had it. Her eyes moved around the place and noticed a woman, staring at her friend. Well, not exactly staring, she was devouring her with her look. The dark woman didn't notice her. It was not the first time she had seen a woman eyeing her friend; she had seen two or three more looking at her. Including a beautiful, tall blonde with blue eyes, an elegant nose, and wearing a red dress that fit on her body perfectly.

The woman must be was the 'Gisele Bündchen´ that Dinah had described. She laughed lightly to herself.

"So… how is it?" the thin brunette suddenly asked, sitting down next to her. She took a napkin and wiped her forehead.

"How is "it"?" Barbara asked in confusion.

"This place…" Helena waved her hand around vaguely.

"It's very nice…" The redhead couldn't lie. The place was excellent.

"I told you, it's cool."

"You love to come here, as I can see," Barbara smiled, crossing her arms over the table, "many people know you."

Helena leaned over the table, as well, and smirked. "Well, it's always good to go out sometimes and not just to kick asses." She took the bottle of wine and raised it. "Want a bit more?"

"Sure. It's a great wine." Barbara extended her glass toward her. "How did you get it?"

"I have secrets too, my dear Oracle. I just want you have a great time here tonight."

Helena's smiled seemed to light up the room. She filled her own glass, too.

"It was a nice touch."

"Thanks."

Barbara moved back in her chair and watched the dance floor. Notes of a soft ballad filled the bar, the lights dimmed; she could see couples hugging each other and dancing. Her mind traveled back in time. She loved to dance when she was young. Yes, she liked to study, but she also loved to dance. For her it was as artistic as gymnastics. She used go out with Dick at night. They were wonderful moments, being wrapped in his strong arms and resting her head on a firm shoulder.

His cologne was great. She suddenly felt nostalgic. She missed the possibility of dancing like that again someday.

Helena interrupted her thoughts, raising her glass. "A toast?"

"Sounds perfect…" Barbara turned her head. "For…?"

"A perfect night?"

"A perfect night."

They tapped glasses, smiling.

"I told you the kid is safe with me," Helena said, joking. She was in a good mood and Barbara seemed to be having fun. That was good. Lately, she'd been working too much and almost had forgotten just to go out and have fun. "I'm an excellent bodyguard."

"I'm still not so sure." Barbara sipped her wine, amused.

"You are safe with me now, no?"

"I'm always safe with you, Hel."

The brunette felt butterflies in her stomach.

"…But I'm not yet sure about Dinah," Barbara added, frowning "I don't think that learning about your love for lawlessness is a good idea. I have enough headaches with you."

"But I'm charming, too, and damn sexy."

The older woman laughed. Helena was incorrigible. It would be fun taunt her a bit more. "Yes, Dinah told me you have amazing sexual magnetism."

Helena rolled her eyes. Did Dinah have to tell absolutely everything about their night at the bar?

"Maybe she was right. I see you have some fans around here," Barbara said smiling. She rested her elbow on the table and put her index finger on her cheek. Dinah had cleared up Helena's sexual orientation, but she wanted to hear it from the younger woman herself. "They don't stop looking at you."

"I look hot, huh?"

"Well, you love to flirt with anyone."

"Not exactly anyone…" Helena raised her hand. "I have standards."

Barbara lowered her gaze and played with her fingers on the mouth of her cup of wine. She hesitated a moment.

"Hel, are you gay?"

The brunette didn't expect that question at that moment.

"Why?" She looked at the redhead curiously.

"Just curious-- you like to come to gay bars. I haven't known you to have a formal boyfriend, we never talk about your romances, and I imagine you have a lot."

"Not so many, most of them are rumors."

"As were those two boyfriends you dated on the same day at the same time?" Barbara asked in amusement.

"First, they were not boyfriends," Helena noted, pouring more wine in her glass. "Second, it was a mistake-- I miscalculated the time. Third, I needed to flirt with them. One was very good in chemistry and the other guy helped me in math."

She drank her wine, she needed it. She was now certain that the kid told Barbara about her sexual preferences and lying to the redhead would not be a wise choice. She set her glass on the table and raised her blue eyes to met green.

"But, to answer your question... yes, I'm gay." Barbara would hate her after her confession, but she was and she couldn't do anything against her instincts and preferences.

The redhead nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" she asked.

Helena took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair. "I thought it was something you wouldn't like, and I didn't want to disappoint you."

"You don't disappoint me." Barbara held her gaze. "I love you for who you are. This doesn't change anything between us."

"Really?" Helena asked, a bit surprised. She had always been afraid of Barbara's reaction. She was a traditional woman that that believed in marriage, heterosexual relationships and those things.

"Of course. Why would things change? You are the same-- dark hair, blue eyes, an excellent crime fighter; you empty my fridge every five minutes and you are always grumbling." Barbara raised her glass to sip her wine, but stopped short to point at the brunette "Ah! And with great sexual magnetism."

The brunette laughed. She was incredibly relieved knowing her confession hadn't bothered the older woman. "Sorry, Barbara," Helena played with glass, "I should have told you before."

"Don't worry, Helena, I understand." The older woman looked at her gently. "My education was traditional and I have my beliefs, but at the core of those is respect for other people. I respect you and what you are. Never forget that."

"Okay."

"Toast?" the redhead raised her glass.

"Toast!"

Barbara enjoyed the time with her friend; the hours passed quickly and she didn't feel it. She was a good friend, good company. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a nice evening. The last few years she had focused on work and saving the city. Definitely, she needed to go out more often.

Helena went downstairs, she told Barbara, to thank her friend, the owner of the bar, for the table and wine. The music changed again to the first notes of the last radio hit. Many couples practically jumped on the dance floor, moving to the music of Madonna's latest hit.

Barbara watched her friend's movements and noticed someone else was doing the same.

´Gisele Bündchen´ didn't take her eyes off the brunette.

Helena was on the lower floor talking to very handsome guy. She imagined he was the manager of the place. They spoke a few minutes and the brunette laughed before she shook the man's hand and moved through the throng of people toward the elevator to join her again.

Barbara saw ´Gisele´ move toward the brunette, a cup in hand. She stumbled 'accidentally' against the dark haired woman and threw the liquid in her glass against her own clothes.

She lifted an eyebrow.

That was the fakest movement she had ever seen.

She saw Helena excusing herself, thinking she really had caused the 'accident´, and helping the blonde to clean the blouse barely covering 'Gisele''s skin with a napkin.

The blonde said something to her and the brunette nodded; they walked toward the bar. Helena seemed to be asking for a drink. The woman said something and Helena smiled; they talked a few seconds. Then, ´Gisele´ moved her hand toward the brunette's arm and touched the material of her blouse.

Barbara rolled her eyes. So predictable. Surely, she was saying the blouse was beautiful, the material soft and, the usual, "Where did you get it?"

She was flirting with Helena.

The woman resting her hand on the brunette's arm. The movement of 'Gisele's' hand became overly friendly; Helena turned toward the counter and spoke to the bartender. The blonde rested her hand on the brunette's lower back.

Dinah told her that Helena was interested in the blonde, that she had thought she was hot, but she had interrupted their flirting that night. Now, it seemed she had the opportunity in her hands. The woman closed her distance and playfully said something in Helena's ear.

The dark haired woman laughed again, nodding.

She looked around. The place was full of gay couples. How could Helena bring Dinah to this bar? To any bar? It was so irresponsible. Dinah was still a child and Helena had much more experience. She was supposed to take care of her. How the hell had Helena managed to escape a scolding?

She always did this.

A waitress at the counter gave 'Gisele' the drink, the woman raised her hand, resting it on Helena's shoulder; they talked a few seconds more. Helena reached her hand out and the woman suddenly leaned in and trapped the young woman's lips between hers.


	11. Chapter 11

She turned her head to another place. Irritated, she swallowed the last remaining wine from her glass in just one movement. How had she let Helena drag her to a bar? This was an ideal place for the brunette, but she... she was too old for these things.

Dammit.

She wasn't sure if she was angrier at herself or at Helena. The younger woman always involved her in her games. She never took anything seriously. This place was ideal for her, casual adventures, drinks, dancing. Helena had her mother's genes within her. Selina was a natural flirt and so was Helena. Flirting was like breathing. Both turned heads with their strong presences, and both had great beauty. Helena was her mother, loved freedom and taming her soul would be impossible. She had tried her best with Helena, taking care of her since she was a teen and showing her how to handle her frustration, pain and anger, but when it came down to it, nature's call was nature's call.

She was a free spirit; a wild cat.

But this place was definitely not for her even less so for Dinah.

She looked at her watch, almost two o'clock. Whatever, she needed go back, tomorrow was work day. She asked the waiter for the check and paid it.

"I'm back," Helena said, sitting in her chair.

"All right." Barbara picked up her bag and her coat.

"Where are you going?"

"Time to go, it's late. But you can stay if you want." She dropped a few bills on the table.

"Go? Why?" the dark woman asked confused. She picked up the bills and gave them back to her.

"I told you, it's late." Barbara ignored the extended money and moved out of the VIP zone.

"Barbara… wait." The brunette followed her. "Barbara, I invited you! You don't need to pay. Why do you want to leave so suddenly? Did someone bother you?"

"No, no one," the redhead, answered icily as she wheeled toward the exit.

"Hey, wait." The brunette stood in front of her blocking her way. "I thought you were enjoying the place."

"You involved me again in your games to avoid being scolded."

"Wait, wait." She couldn't understand what was happening. Barbara had been enjoying herself, laughing a lot and, suddenly… "What are you talking about?"

"Helena, this is not a place for a minor! You know it! And you involved me in your games to bring me here and prevent me from yelling at you for bringing Dinah here."

"What?" She hadn't seen it coming. Helena was forced to jump to the side to avoid Barbara's chair.

Helena tried to follow her again, but stumbled against a couple. She excused herself and ran to search for the redhead. She reached her at the exit. "All right, I was wrong to bring Dinah here. I'll never do it again, but, as you can see, the place is safe, no one bothered her; she just drank coke. I promise."

"That is not the point. The point is that you act like an irresponsible kid."

"Why are you so mad? You were happy a few minutes ago.. What happened?"

Barbara stopped and faced her. "What happened is that I don't like your games. It's time that you grow up, Helena. See you tomorrow."

Helena sighed. "All right, if you want go, okay. Let me get my coat."

"It's not necessary, I'll drive myself."

"Huh?" That statement surprised the young woman.

"I´ll drive myself. It's in the opposite direction of your place. I don't want you to have to go out of your way."

"Barbara…"

"Helena, I'm tired," Barbara said with a chill that could cut the air. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Helena stepped aside and let her wheel toward the parking lot.

"Why are you so angry?" she shouted at her. "What happened?"

The redhead didn't respond.

Helena brushed her hair back, confused. Barbara was really angry and in a pretty bad mood. She watched the redhead disappear between the people. What the fuck had happened? Everything had been perfect. She threw her arms up in the air and walked back to the bar.

She couldn't understand why the redhead's mood had changed so suddenly. She was laughing, enjoying the night… she sat on her table and looked around. The place that was so full of life minutes ago now seemed to be empty and boring. She felt frustrated, sad, angry; raising her hand she asked for a bottle of scotch. She was not in the mood to go back to her place and just be there alone.

She stared at her hand still in the cast. Barbara always took care of her gently. Maybe the most depressing part was that she didn't have a clue as to what the hell was in her mind. She was so complicated sometimes, but she loved her anyway. Helena was the fierce, the feared and the strong crime fighter, the terror of criminals – and she was as love sick as a teenager, in love with the someone who would never love her back.

The bottle arrived and the waiter poured her a glass of scotch.

It was ironic, she only needed to flash a smile to have any woman…except the one she wanted. It had never been and would never be. Sighing in disgust, she swallowed the contents of her glass. A waiter arrived and filled it again.

"Fill it, Mike," she said.

"As you wish, Ms. Kyle."

The brunette looked again to the dance floor. Stupid, dumb, disconcerted, frustrated… and, dammit, deeply in love; so many feelings in just one moment were really making her want to scream and run.

"She will never love you back."

Helena turned in surprise and stood up.

"Quinzel?"

What was she doing here?

"She doesn't know you exist." The blonde sat in front of Helena, crossing her legs. She was wearing a short skirt and a black top. "Why do you waste your time thinking about her? Besides, she is boring and… I don't think you could have too much fun… she is in a wheelchair."

The brunette glared at her angrily. She stepped towards the woman threateningly, but the blonde didn't blink, in fact, she smiled at her.

"Easy, kitty cat… stand down."

Without knowing why, the brunette froze in place, holding back the desire to pounce on the psychotic woman and hit her hard. She could still feel the anger boiling in her blood.

Quinzel extended her hand and took Helena's glass of scotch from the table. She sipped it delicately. "Mmm… wonderful, my favorite." The blonde leaned in and put her hand on top of the brunette's. "You are hurt, she is hurting you. She doesn't care about you, but you… you are important to me." She lifted her hand and kissed her fingers.

Helena gasped, feeling the soft touch and a strange tickling running through her body.

The blonde stood up and put Helena's hand over her shoulder. "Dance with me, Helena." She wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist and began to move slowly with the rhythm of music.

"You…" The young woman couldn't understand the spell the woman had on her, she couldn't resist her call.

"Shh…" Quinzel said, pressing her index finger against soft lips, "Don't think, forget her, you are mine and I'll give you all the pleasure you need and want." She finished the sentence pressing her lips against Helena's.

The young woman couldn't hold back and responded to the kiss, holding the woman tight against her and moving slowly, following the rhythm of the soft music. She felt her mind twisting. Every time she was in the blonde's arms or kissed her, all her senses caught on fire and she could only focus on touching her, on making love to her.

The brunette felt another body pressing behind her, a second set of arms wrapping around her waist. She separated her lips from Quinzel and turned her head back; it was the hot blonde she had stumbled against downstairs. The tall blonde smiled at her and kissed her neck.

The brunette arched under the soft contact. Harleen buried her head in the brunette's shoulder and raised her face a few inches to whisper in her ear: "Kiss her…"

Helena hesitated and remained still. Quinzel smiled and bit her lobe gently.

"Kiss her-- she wants you… you want her…"

The brunette turned her head and fixed her eyes on the other woman's.

'Gisele' moved her head forward and brushed her mouth against Helena, who moaned under the contact, as the woman took position of her lovely mouth. She deepened the caress with her tongue and Helena kissed her back.

She didn't know what happened, she just knew that the friction of the beautiful women against her were making her tremble with anticipation. Those full, firm nipples against her back, Quinzel taking position of her breast with one of her hands while she nipped her neck.

"Barbara doesn't love you."

"Not true…" Helena broke the kiss and looked at the criminal, confused.

The blonde cupped the brunette's face in her hands. "She is using you to get what she wants. When she don't needs you, she'll just push you away… she is playing with your feelings, Helena. Listen to me, Helena. You belong to me because I love you, because I want you… and you want me, you want me so much…"

"I want you so much…" The young woman leaned in and kissed her.

She lost herself in the kiss. She didn't know how, but when she realized it, they were sitting on a couch. Touching and tasting. She was holding the mad woman against her, lost in a duel of tongues 

and the tall woman behind her caressing her back and kissing her neck. Quinzel suddenly laughed and moved back taking a glass from the table. She raised it.

"A toast for my little bird."

The blonde took a glass too and lifted it before drinking the entire glass. Quinzel sipped hers as well and put the glass to Helena's lips.

"She is beautiful, no?" Quinzel smiled at Helena, glancing toward the tall blonde. The young woman turned her head and stared at 'Gisele'. Quinzel licked her ear lobe slowly. "Just accept."

Helena noticed the tall blonde moving her hand down to caress her thighs. Quinzel didn't give her time to think, she kissed her rough and hard, her hand unbuttoning the younger woman's blouse.

"Forget Barbara, you are mine."

"Quinzel…." She mumbled between kisses, "We are in a bar…"

The blonde's face came in to view; she smiled at her. "It doesn't matter, the only thing that is important to you is what I want."

Helena jumped in her place; the other woman was between her legs. She tried to push her back, but Quinzel trapped her hand.

"No, Helena, let her do it… I want to see it."

"We can't… We are in a public place…" Helena panted, feeling excited and scared. The woman separated her legs and raised her skirt. Skirt? When had she changed to a skirt? She was wearing pants.

"You must do whatever I want. I want to see you come…."

"I…" The brunette arched her back when she felt lips in her most intimate area. They were rough and demanding. Quinzel, then, moved her blouse to the side and sucked a soft mound in her mouth. Helena bucked and held Harleen's head tight against her.

"Fuck!"

She couldn't stop herself. Her body trembled in pleasure and a cry died in her mouth. Why was she was doing this? This was crazy, she needed to stop it. She closed her eyes, feeling spent and dirty at the same time. It was when she felt Quinzel's arms around her again, her lips kissing her that she realized she couldn't do this. What the hell was wrong with her? She couldn't let her keep controlling her.

She pushed Harleen back lightly with her hands.

"We are just starting." Quinzel smiled as she tried to lean in to kiss Helena again, but the brunette stopped her movement.

"No…"

The blonde didn't seem to hear her and brought their lips together. Helena felt her body humming again, trembling in desire.

"No." She moved her head back.

"You can't say no…" Quinzel moved forward and kissed her again.

The brunette felt the demanding tongue tasting, caressing. This was the woman that had killed the man that Barbara loved. It was from the girlfriend of the psychopath who had paralyzed Barbara and killed her mother. She felt sick, she was sick.

"You love my touch, Helena." Quinzel whispered in her ear "You can't choose because you are mine; I'm your soul, I'm your darkest desires, I'm all you need."

She woke up abruptly. Hard rock music filling the place; Helena noticed she was still at "W". People were talking friendly, dancing downstairs, everything was normal, but she still could feel the her heart beating rapidly in her chest, her body burning in excitement. She was alone, sitting on a couch, with no trace of Quinzel - or the blonde. Something triggered in her mind and she lowered her gaze to check her clothes. She touched herself, trembling; she was wearing red pants. Suddenly, the pieces fell in place. Another nightmare.

When it would end? She was tired of it. Tired of feeling Quinzel controlling her mind and soul. Her eyes peered through the rail and she could see downstairs; bodies moving under the changing lights. She felt her heart stop when she saw Harleen dancing between two handsome men. She stood up like she'd been shocked and glared at her therapist, wrapping her hands around the rail which such force that she bent it.

What was the damn bitch doing here? She turned to go downstairs and stopped in her tracks when she almost bumped against Quinzel. Her confusion grew when she saw that the girl behind her was Quinzel, too. She stepped back and saw a big mirror to her side, Quinzel's image was smirking at her. Angry, she moved to her left and noticed another mirror there. Quinzel's image was there too! Her head snapped around, her reflection was everywhere.

"Stupid bitch!" The brunette took a chair and threw it against the mirror in front of her.

* * *

Barbara always liked her coffee with a bit of sugar, but not in this case. She wanted it strong. She couldn't sleep as she was still feeling upset because Helena has taken Dinah am improper place for a minor. She did not seem to understand that she had done anything wrong; she stopped her thoughts, well she had accepted it, but… whatever. It was a gay bar and Dinah was just a kid. She didn't have anything against gays, she had many gay friends and they were incredible people. The place was, indeed, very nice, the music excellent. She'd been very comfortable and had a great time. Helena was good company.

She adjusted her robe and put the tray with the coffee on her lap. She pressed a button on the arm of her wheelchair and turned to wheel toward Delphi.

Helena had been nice at the bar, she had a great time; she had been relaxed, happy. The wine was perfect, the environment, and, suddenly, she… she had seen Helena kissing that woman. It snapped her back to reality. She was supposed to have been scolding Helena, not enjoying herself in a bar. In some way, Helena had used all her charm to distract her from the main topic and, then, had used her charm on 'Gisele.'

Well, it wasn't a big kiss, just a fast one, but… that was not the point, the point was that maybe she had kissed other woman in front of Dinah and that was not right. It wasn't appropriate for her to kiss anyone in front of the girl. The younger woman had taken Dinah, a minor, to a bar and she was right to be pissed and angry and annoyed. She was right to want to leave from that place as soon as possible and to react to Helena in the way she had.

She was right.

She stopped in front of Delphi and pinched the bridge of her nose.

No, she was not right. She had overreacted. She was trying to convince herself that her reaction had been correct, but she couldn't, she was wrong. Helena was being nice, trusting her and revealing one of her deepest secrets and she…

Helena was gay. She had been afraid to tell it to her for so long. How many years? She didn't know. The brunette was happy that Barbara had accepted her as she was and then she had overreacted without reason. They already had talked about Dinah and Barbara returned to same topic. She had treated Helena unfairly. Why?

The Delphi alarm distracted her from her inner debate and she moved forward. She put her coffee to the side and pressed some keys at her computer keyboard.

A disturbance, nothing strange. Friday night, many young people were partying, but something caught her attention-- the address. She moved the cursor on the screen.

W Bar.

She had been there with Helena almost an hour ago. She tried to contact the brunette, thinking that maybe she would be still there. Her GPS was off.

Typical Helena. Her instinct told her she needed to investigate a bit more, something smelled bad.

She intercepted the police radio. There seemed to be a big fight inside. They described a person that had started it. Barbara quickly hacked the security system cameras. She would get access to the videos.

She found a video where she could see people pushing and kicking each other. The fight was in the V.I.P. area, where she had been with Helena. She located a camera closer to the lounge she'd been in. She rewound the tape and saw her young partner throwing objects against the mirrors. A man tried to stop her and she had pushed him back, starting the fight. She didn't like this. She rewound a few more minutes prior to the fight. She could see Helena sitting there alone, unmoving, with a glass in her hands. Checking the time on the clock in the top corner of the image, it was taken almost ten minutes after she had left. She was going to fast forward the tape, but she stopped her movement when she noticed the sadness in Helena's face. The image froze in her mind.

Helena was not an expressive person and less so when it was about her deepest feelings. But in this image she could see it. Barbara felt guilty, she had been rude with her and she really needed to apologize. She noticed, then, that the brunette was almost perfectly still for the next five minutes.

Suddenly, the young woman jerked up, she was disturbed, her movements erratic; Barbara saw her bending the rail with her hands and then looking around, disoriented. She was not acting normal. The brunette took a chair and hurled it against a mirror. The fight started.

What the hell was happening to her?

Barbara's first instinct was to protect her partner. She typed as faster as she could and saved the tapes in her system, while deleting them bar's security system. When she finished, she again studied the videos where Helena appeared.


	12. Chapter 12

The place was cold. It was unnatural; after all it was thirty meters underground. She sat inside an air conditioning duct working on a control panel. Some wires were connected to a small device in her hand. People would think she was a nerd working with cybernetic. She'd learned a few things from Barbara, but she preferred the physical action.

Security was high in this place. It had to be to hold criminals like The Joker, Clayface and now Harley Quinzel. The last time she had been here was to visit Clayface, not a pleasant memory. She had discovered he had killed her mother and that Barbara had hidden it from her.

It was one of the few times she'd been really angry at the redhead.

Her thoughts were cut short by the sound of a door opening. She looked through a grill below her and noticed a tall guard walking in the corridor below her, then exiting through an iron door. A light in her palm blinked. She got it. Finally. She had hacked the security camera inside Quinzel's cell. A plexiglas cell was in the middle of the room, inside of which was just a chair and a table with few books. The blonde sat in the chair with a book in her hands. She had her left leg crossed over her right. She had strange eyeglasses on her eyes to prevent her from hypnotizing anyone.

Helena taped four minutes and programmed the device to block the original image and loop her four minutes over and over. Helena took out another small box. It was a wonder, Barbara had invented it and worked on anything to find secret codes. She chose another cable in the control panel and connected it to the device. A series of fast numbers appeared on the screen until finally the code appeared. She had disabled the electronic alarms inside Quinzel's cell. She could now open the grill and get inside. She crawled to the cell and kicked the grill to open it.

The noise made Quinzel turn her head. The dark vigilant landed smoothly inside the room, glaring at the blonde on the other side of the plexiglas.

"Well, well," the blonde said, amused, closing her book, "look who's here, my lovely Helena Kyle."

How much did she hate this woman? Hard to say. She had never felt so much hate for anyone. She felt her eyes morphing to feral.

"I'm glad you have finally come to visit me. I'm feeling really alone here." Quinzel lowered her book and put it on the table. She smiled at the brunette.

Helena walked toward the cell with firm steps. "What is your game now, Quinzel?"

"Me?" The blonde put her right hand over her chest in a dramatic posture. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not in the mood for your games."

"Why are you so aggressive? I miss our little sessions Helena, the time that we shared…"

The brunette fixed her eyes on Quinzel and asked coldly, "Did you hypnotize me?"

"Helena, please, how can you even ask that?"

"Did you hypnotize me?"

The blonde smiled and put her hands on her knee, "Do you want to talk? We can talk… don't worry, it's a free session."

"I don't want a fucking session! I want the truth! You are messing with my mind!" The brunette clenched her teeth.

The blonde stood up and walked toward her slowly, moving her body like a cobra preparing to strike. She stopped in front of the glass and smiled at the brunette.

"What do you want to know?"

"Did you hypnotize me?"

"I did, yes, I remember it… and it was so annoying how Barbara Gordon broke the spell and destroyed our partnership. We were a great team."

"Harleen, you know what I'm talking about."

The mad woman laughed and turned her back to Helena, walking to the middle of the room. Blue eyes followed each movement, she was trying to play one of her twisted games again.

"About which part do you want to talk, Helena?" Harleen asked, suddenly. "The part where you climax when I fuck you or the part when you enjoy fucking me with your soft tongue?"

Helena felt a shiver down her back; how did she know…? The only way she could know was if she really was fucking with her mind.

The blonde turned and smirked. "Yes," she said in a soft voice, "I know all about your dreams and I know how much you enjoyed it… How you gave yourself to me…" Amused, Quinzel walked toward her again, "Oh, come on Helena, don't tell me you've forgotten my kisses, my fingers touching you… how you howled in pleasure when I took you on my desk that night?"

"Damn bitch…" Helena growled, hitting the glass of the cell. She was so angry that she didn't feel the pain when she hit it with her still injured hand.

The blonde laughed. The brunette stepped back, grumbling and clenching her fist. She tried to contain her anger. She knew she could break the glass, but that was what Quinzel wanted.

"You enjoy those dreams, Helena" Quinzel said. "You, climaxing in my arms. You, giving yourself to me…."

"I´ll never give myself to you!!" the dark woman shouted, stepping toward her.

Quinzel crouched in front of her and smiled. "Have you considered that maybe your dreams are not just nightmares?" She stood up slowly and turned her back to the brunette again. She stopped abruptly and turned her head back. "Have you considered that your nightmares are be so much are more than just a dream? That your 'nightmares,' as you call them, are, in reality, memories´?

Helena froze. Her mind tried to process those words. Her face turned pale. No. It couldn't be what she was saying.

"You gave yourself to me." The petite doctor turned and moved toward Helena.

"You are lying." The brunette clenched her teeth.

"You did it, Helena…" Harleen closed her eyes and with her hands she caressed slowly her own arms. "I can still feel you touching me… me touching you…. Our bodies moving in rhythm."

"Never."

"No? Well... Do you remember what happened during the hours that you were under my spell? You brought me the disks to disable the security system of the ClockTower. And after that…" the mad doctor smirked "…we had a superb time fucking on my desk."

"You are a lying crazy bitch!" Annoyed, the brunette jumped against the cell and hit it using both fist. The glass trembled under the strength of the impact.

The alarm went off. A cage fell around Quinzel´s cell. It was an additional security system to prevent escape.

The blonde laughed again and looked at her mirthfully. "I am in your head every time you dream; I can awaken your deepest and darkness thoughts; your most intimate desires…"

Helena put her hands around the bars. "I'll kill you, I promise it…." She stepped back, the alarm had alerted all the security guards and they would be there soon.

"Not after what we shared, kitten. Can you remember Helena?" Quinzel whispered. "How you fucked me hard and rough?"

"You are sick…"

"You taste wonderful, Helena, I'd love to share another night with you, anytime you want… my wild cat."

"Fucking bitch!" The brunette turned and stormed toward the open grill.

Quinzel giggled in delight.

"You will be mine again, anytime I want, Huntress!!" she shouted. "You were mine, you gave yourself to me!! And you can't change it! You are mine!"

Helena closed the grill and crawled as far away as possible from the psychopath.

"You are mine!" she heard Quinzel's voice in her head. It was as if the woman was next to her. The words echoed in her head, hitting her brain over and over.

* * *

"It's too late to be awake." Dinah yawned, walking toward Barbara in her pajamas, she was thirsty and had wandered out of bed. She was surprised to find Barbara working at the Delphi.

"Helena started a big fight in a bar," The redhead said, focused on the computer screen.

"Helena? Was she drunk?" The teen stood behind her, peeking over her mentor's shoulder.

"No, something is wrong." The redhead pressed a button to zoom in the image.

"Wrong?"

"Look here." Barbara pointed at the image of the brunette, "She is sitting there watching the people dancing at the club."

"Yes, she looks fine."

"Now look," she forwarded the image and stopped it after a few seconds, "here, she is leaning back on the sofa and doesn't move… for almost five minutes."

"Five minutes? You must be wrong."

"No, look the time on the video screen. She seems to be lost, but I don't know where. Then, she stand up like she's surprised and that is when she starts the fight."

"She didn't attack anyone, she was breaking the mirrors. Where is she now?"

"No idea, she has her GPS off."

Dinah leaned in and watched the screen. "Five minutes without move? Was she sleeping or what?"

The redhead turned to look at the blonde. "That's it!"

"What's it?" Dinah asked, surprised.

Barbara pressed some buttons and zoomed in on the brunette's face. She observed it carefully. "Dinah look, she has her eyes half-opened, looking nowhere."

"Maybe she was drunk, Barbara, seriously."

"No, she couldn't have gotten drunk between the time I left her and here, just fifteen minutes and all she has is a glass of scotch."

The Delphi alarm sounded again. Barbara raised her head.

"Arkham."

"What?"

"It's Arkham." Barbara wheeled toward the next computer. She typed on the keyboard and checked the information appearing on the screen. The older woman felt her stomach lurch. "Quinzel's cell."

"Oh man." Dinah said, her face paling. "Did she escape?"

"No, seems as if someone tried to help her escape. Give me a minute. Check the police reports."

"Okay," the blonde said, typing at the keyboard.

Snow fell outside; white snow lakes hit the window softly.

Helena arrived at her place. She was so tired, she stood up in the middle of her room and closed her eyes, feeling her knees weak. She let herself fall to the floor.

"_You are mine_." Harleen's words drilled into her mind.

She grabbed her head in her hands and tried to control her body. It was shaking. The dream from the bar came to her mind. she could feel Quinzel's mouth on her breast.. biting, caressing, sucking her soul. And her hands touching her, making her tremble in pleasure and lust, forcing her to do what she didn't want.

Quinzel had asked the other to woman kiss her, touch her; and she couldn't refuse it. She could only obey, follow her voice. Then, she could see the other woman's head between her legs, moving in rhythm, arms around her thighs while her lips were tasting her…

"_Have you considered that your nightmares are be so much are more than just a dream? That your 'nightmares,' as you call them, are, in reality, memories´?_

She must be lying. It was sick, so sick. She extended her hand and pulled the trashcan close to her bed. She put her head inside and threw up. After a few minutes, she sat with the basket next to her.

…_Do you remember what happened during the hours that you were under my spell?_

Scared.

She was scared.

Scared of the power the woman had and her control over her. Scared that everything she'd said was true…that she really had….

She was a damn puppet with her emotions being controlled by that bitch. Everytime she closed her eyes, her dreams were about Quinzel fucking her, again, again and again…

She felt more contractions in her stomach and hurried to grab the basket again.

The young woman emptied her stomach, and waited a few seconds, trying to recover her breath.

"Fuck!" she growled angrily, feeling helpless.

The nightmares kept haunting her; she wanted them to stop. She hugged herself and curled up into a ball. She was naked in front of Quinzel. She had never felt so vulnerable since her mother's death. She hated Quinzel so much. Barbara told her those feelings were not good, that they killed a person's soul slowly, but she couldn't avoid it. Barbara never hated, no one; not even the mad woman that had taken the life of the man she loved. She had difficult days after it, she had cried for hours.

Wade had brought light into her life, the possibility of once again feeling like a woman.

Quinzel had stolen that, and Helena never heard Barbara say "I hate that woman."

Slowly, she opened he eyes and stared at the far wall, Barbara's face came into her view. Only thinking of he redhead made her feel secure, relaxed. Whenever she felt alone, hurt or scared, she went to her. She always felt safe with her. Barbara was her home, her refuge, her life…

When Barbara was with Wade, Helena had felt her soul dying slowly every day. Every smile, every caress hurt like hell. She had contained herself to avoid pouncing on him and taking him down. She couldn't, he was Barbara's happiness, and Barbara's happiness was more important than anything.

She loved her so much, she could love her much more than anyone else; she loved her more than her own life. For that reason she hid her deepest feelings at the bottom of her heart. Barbara could 

never know. The redhead had easily accepted that Helena was gay. The brunette had feared for such a long time that she would be disappointe, but Barbara had reacted well.

Heleba needed her so much and she didn't want to lose her. She was the air she breathed, without her, she would die. But after this…

She didn't know what to do; she was confused, she was not sure what was real or not.

Now, in this moment, feeling so scared, so weak, she wanted to run to Barbara's arms. She wanted feel the security that she only felt in her arms. And she couldn't.

She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling tears forming in her eyes. She wanted so much for Barbara to be there at that moment, comforting her. She sobbed, feeling tears running down her cheeks.

Barbara would be terribly disappointed if she told her the truth about the nightmares. She had asked her to trust her and she had failed. She kept silent because she was so ashamed of those dreams; of the way she felt her body responding. And now, the possibility that she was remembering and not dreaming scared her like hell.

She couldn't stop crying, she felt so alone, so dirty. She loved the older woman so much. It was so hard to feel so much love for someone and keep it inside. She wanted to cover her with flowers and kisses, to take care of her day and night... or just hug her and feel her warm body next to her….

* * *

"The police still don't have any idea what happened. She can't break the glass from inside."

"The impact is from the outside?" the redhead asked.

"I've never seen anything like this," Commissioner Gordon explained, as he moved to the side to let his daughter wheel inside Quinzel´s cell at Arkham, "Someone hit the plexiglas cell, and didn't leave any evidence. The guards moved Quinzel out of her cell immediately. They are investigating the incident and will repair the glass."

Barbara had called her father and met him at the Asylum. She was worried about the possibility of Quinzel escaping; the woman was totally insane. Jim Gordon was still a powerful man in town. He easily got permission to examine scene.

Barbara checked the reports on the Delphi after the alarms went off. They were disconcerting and she wanted to know exactly what had transpired. When the guard arrived at the mad woman's cell, the security cage was down and the wall her cell was cracked.

Cracked from the outside, but there was no trace of anyone.

The Commissioner knew about his daughter's skills as a detective, she had helped him solve some cases. It was not strange for her to show interest for Quinzel or for her to ask him to get her access. The criminal had killed her boyfriend months ago.

"Someone was in here... that is a fact, Dad. The video cameras didn't catch anything?" Barbara asked, wheeling toward the cell. The break looked like a spider web.

"No," he followed her. "The person who was here was very smart. He taped over the original video with another image. When he was inside the room no one could see him."

"Just Quinzel." The redhead stopped in front of the broken glass, her eyes fixed in the impact zone.

"Exactly, but she won't say a word."

"Fingerprints?"

"No."

"The Plexiglas was hit with a small object," Barbara said, examining the area around her. She looked for something that could have made the crack, but there was nothing.

"Yes, and it was hit hard, but we can't find anything." Her father waved his hands, frustrated. This was a crazy case. It was as if a ghost had been inside. They couldn't find any clues. "It's disturbing. We can't figure out who was here or how he got inside or what he wanted."

"Him?"

"We think it was a man."

Barbara frowned and extended her hand toward the glass but didn't touch it. "I don't think so." Green eyes fixed her attention on the glass broke.

"Why?"

"Could be a woman… or a young boy." The redhead put a plastic glove on her hand.

Jim observed her with interest. She closed her fist and moved it toward the glass, putting it over the main break. She pulled her hand back and then moved it again toward the glass.

"Looks like it was a fist," she finally said.

"Interesting. Yes, it could be," he acknowledged in surprise, leaning toward the glass. "But the fist was small… the strength of the impact was… unbelievably strong. Only a person with superhuman force could do it."

"Maybe a meta-human."

For him, it was not strange to hear about meta-humans. Being a close partner of Batman had made him aware of the strangest and most dangerous criminals, from animal hybrids like Killer-Croc and Man Bat to powerful criminals like Poison Ivy and Catwoman. It was curious as to how his daughter had taken own one of the most famous criminals in Gotham City. He noticed Barbara was staring at the grill of the air conditioner duct on the ceiling, almost fifteen feet above them. She wheeled toward it.

Gordon read her mind. "…Yes, the air conditioner duct, but it's too small for even an average sized man…" he walked behind her, "but not for a meta with special powers or a small woman. The grill was closed perfectly when the guards arrived, no ropes, no signs of entry. They checked inside."

"Someone was here, Dad. The person hacked the cameras, entered using the air conditioner ducts and cracked the Plexiglas. A person with super-powers or abilities could do it. The meta was fast and agile. For how long was the video signal blocked?"

"Almost 10 minutes. What was he looking for? Was he trying break her out?"

"I don't think so, it would be a stupid way to do it."

"What was he looking for?"

Barbara remained silent for long seconds and an idea came to her mind. She turned to face her father.

"May I talk with her?"


	13. Chapter 13

The door opened. Barbara wheeled inside the cell. It was similar to the one that was under investigation. What was Quinzel planning? Someone had been inside her cell. If she was planning something, Barbara needed to know. Quinzel hated them and wanted nothing more than to destroy them in any way possible.

She manuevered her chair, feeling uncertain about what she would face. She hadn't seen Quinzel since the trial after the attack on the Clock Tower, in which she had been a witness. Quinzel was locked up for life, but knowing her, she was not going to accept it so easily.

The evil woman sat in a chair with her back to the redhead, reading a book. She was wearing the security eyeglasses.

Barbara was certain the woman heard her enter, but she didn't move. The redhead stopped behind her and leaned back in her chair.

"Hello, Harley," she said softly.

"Well, well… Barbara Gordon, what a surprise," Quinzel said, closing her book.

"I'm sorry I can´t say the same."

"Always so hostile!" Quinzel said, feigned insult, she stood up. "It hurts me, really." She put a hand over her chest and turned to see the redhead.

Barbara took a deep breath and looked at her without say a word.

The blonde put a finger over her mouth thinking. "Well, then...let me guess why you are here… Do you need a therapy session?"

"No, I'm sorry, I have no use for an insane woman as a therapist."

"Helena didn't think the same, she enjoyed the time we shared, talking about her life… her secrets and yours too..."

The redhead sighed. "I'm not here for that, Quinzel, you know it."

"Oh, please, it's Harley -- Harley Quinn It's a shame, it would be such a pleasure help you… It's not easy help an angry orphan to grow up, and even more so if you are crippled. Tell me, how did you feel when you knew you would never be able to walk again?"

Barbara didn't blink. She expected this of the mad woman.

"How was it? Tell me, how did it feel to know that you would be tied the to a chair for the rest of your life?" Quinn crossed her arms and looked at her. "How did it feel to know that you would never be able to stand up and be Batgirl?"

"Don't worry, Harley." She was not going to give her the pleasure of seeing her hurt. "My life is just different, but I enjoy it just as much as when I used to walk. I have discovered new and marvellous things."

The blonde laughed "Maybe you want talk about your boyfriend? His soft lips? So sweet and tender. I still remember that cute little trickle of blood running down the side of his cheek when he died."

Barbara bit her lips. Quinn was trying to make her lose control. She was not going to give her the satisfaction. "I want know what happened last night in your cell."

Quinzel laughed and turned her back to the redhead, looking up to the ceiling. "I thought you would love to know about the last moments of your boyfriend…. Anyone would be curious to know the last moments of their lover. Because he was your lover, right? Helena told me."

The redhead ignored her comment. Years of practice allowed her push down all emotion. "What happened last night?"

The blonde cocked her head, examining her curiously. "Do you want to know who was here last night?"

"I want to know what happened."

"Why?" Quinzel smirked, crossing her arms.

"I want to be sure that you will remain here for a very long time."

"At least you are honest, Barbara Gordon. I'm impressed. Well, first, I had my dinner -- the chef has improved his skills, by the way. Maybe I should invite you someday."

"Thanks."

"Oh… but you were asking about last night…. So, then, I re-read my favourite book." The blonde lifted the book and caressed the cover. "A pretty interesting book, _'Bluebird: Deliberate Creation of Multiple Personality by Psychiatrists by Dr. Colin Ross' _Have you heard of it? It is just fascinating."

"Yes, it's a book where a psychiatrist, Dr. Ross provides proof, based on 15,000 pages of documents obtained from the CIA under the Freedom of Information Act, that the Manchurian Candidate is fact, not fiction. He describes the experiments conducted by psychiatrists to create amnesia, new identities, hypnotic access codes, and new memories in the minds of experimental subjects."

"You always impress me."

"Thanks… So, about last night, you were saying?"

"You are so impatient, Gordon. Tell me… you really don't know who was here?" the blonde asked in amusement as she crossed her left arm. She rested her right elbow on it and then rested her chin on her index finger. "So… again the person that you think is your best friend betrays your confidence. She doesn't trust you… Oh Barbara, how could it be?"

The redhead watched her, unmoving. Quinn smile got bigger.

"Would it flip a switch, somewhere deep in your psyche, to know that Helena was here?"

Helena.

It struck her like a blow to the back of her head.

Helena was the one who had been in Quinzel's cell last night. Surely, they had argued and the dark haired woman lost control and cracked the glass of the cell in anger, but why? Why hadn't she told her about it? What had Helena discovered that had made her feel like she had to sneak in to see Harley without telling her? Many questions flowed in her mind.

"And I guess, then, that you don't know about her nightmares…." The petite woman smirked.

"I know about her nightmares." She tried remaining calm. So, Quinzel was involved in this. The brunette hadn't told her the entire truth. The dreams that were disturbing her young partner were increasing; she was acting weird, she remembered when Helena had attacked her at her home and the disturbance at the bar.

"You know about her nightmares…" the blonde said ironically, pacing slowly around her cell, "You do you know what they're about? Or is she lying to you?"

"She never lies to me."

"So, tell me about her dreams…. Tell me,.. tell me if you know that every time she closes her eyes, all she can see is me fucking her?"

This time the redhead felt a cold shiver running through her body and she couldn't hide her surprise.

"Yes… I see you didn't know…" The mad woman laughed in delight. "She can only dream of us fucking, fucking and fucking."

"You are lying…." The redhead clenched her teeth, her hands tightly gripping the arms of her chair.

Quinn stood in front of the former Batgirl, grinning. "She is mine. It's too late, Barbara Gordon, you can't do anything for her."

"Don't be so sure, Quinzel." Barbara needed all of her control to not show any emotion. Helena was in an enormous amount of danger and Barbara needed as much information as she could get.

"She was mine once, she is mine now, my voice is a Siren's call that she can't refuse."

"You won't win, Quinn. We defeated you once and we will do it again."

"She is lost, Oracle, and you know it." The blonde pointed at her. "She can't handle it by herself any more, she has no control of her dreams. I'll drive her mad… mad with guilt and uncertainty." The blonde kneeled on the floor to face the older woman. "How about if I told you she was mine once? That she cried out in pleasure in my arms? We fucked… Did you know it?"

This time Barbara couldn't hide her surprise.

Quinzel licked her index finger obscenely. "I love her taste; she loves feeling me inside her. How does it feel, Barbara Gordon? How does it feel to know your best friend betrayed you… again... to your worst enemy?"

"Helena would never do it."

Quinzel laughed and stood up. "We did it! Do you want to know when? When she was hypnotized a few months ago, when she gave me the discs with the all the Clock Tower information, we fucked on my desk. She is wild, passionate…" She closed her eyes and lifted her head, hugging herself. "I still can feel her hands running over my body, her lips on mine… Oh heavens, she is fantastic, an untamed animal in bed. My perfect mate."

Barbara clenched her fist in anger. "I don't believe it. I will never believe it." She was playing with Helena's mind. Now she understood the young woman's behaviour; Quinn was making her believe things that were not real.

"We fucked, Barbara, and not just once… multiple times, but she doesn't remember it… she thinks they are nightmares… but, no, they are memories." The blonde smiled, feeling she had won this 

time. She knew how hurt Barbara would be, knowing that the young crime fighter had been controlled in that way "She dropped in yesterday to ask me about the dreams… I told her they weren't dreams… She is remembering what happened. When she was with me, I knew you would break the hypnosis sooner or later, so I worked with her subconscious and I created a bond between us… I trigger those memories. I'm controlling her mind, I'm making her crazy, you can't stop it. She was mine… and she will be mine again"

"Damn crazy bitch, never…" Barbara said angrily. She would never forgive her if her words were true. Had she really taken advantage of Helena in her hypnotic state? Yes, she would do it. She was insane.

The blonde smiled, noticing the redhead's face had paled. "How does it feel, Barbara? Knowing I stole your boyfriend's life? And now, knowing that I am stealing the person closest to you? The person whose heart belongs to you?"

Barbara stared at her.

"I've stolen the one who loves you again…" Quinzel grinned, seeing the redhead's face. "You didn't know? Oh God!" She clapped her hands. "I'm so enjoying this moment… She loves you, Barbara, she dreams of you, all her life is around you. She's like a love sick puppy waiting for you to see her."

"You are lying…" Barbara muttered.

"No, I'm inside her mind, I know what she thinks, what she wants. My meta powers have been increasing. She will never be yours. You will suffer, watching me destroy her slowly."

"That will never happen, Quinn. I'll stop you. I promise you that."

"Never. You can't do it. She will destroy you and, then… I'll destroy her."

Helena felt angry, tired. She still couldn't believe Harley's words. She lowered her head, feeling the hot drops of water falling on her back. She was lying, she must be lying.

She hit the wall with her fist.

She needed to find a way to end Quinzel's control over her thoughts. It was affecting her, she was dreaming while awake and it was causing a lot of trouble. She had hurt almost hurt Barbara and had created mayhem in the bar.

They were nightmares. Just nightmares.

They couldn't be real memories. She put her hands against the cool shower tiles.

She was lying.

"You are so tense…."

Helena turned and found Quinzel standing behind her. How could she…?

"Damn bitch…." She growled and raised a hand to hit her.

"No, easy, kitten." The blonde took her fist in her hand. "You don't want to do that…"

The brunette froze in her place.

"You can't fight me," Quinzel said

Helena stared at her; her eyes locked on the blonde's. Why couldn't she react and just rip her head off?

"You want me…" The petite woman moved closer and licked her cheek. "You want me." Quinzel turned her head and kissed her deeply; Helena kissed her back.

The blonde moved closer still and Helena felt Quinzel's naked skin against her own and lost herself in the sensations coursing through he body.

The mad woman moved back, smiling, and turned the brunette gently against the wall. Her hands worked up a lather and gently began to massage it into the other woman's back, up and down, slowly. Helena stared down at the swishing water. She leaned her head against the walls and tried to concentrate on the coldest of the shower tiles. She tried to think of anything except Harleen. The sensations flowing over her body were making her hot.

She felt the blonde's hand move around her waist. The blonde rested her cheek against her and whispered: "Do you want me to stop?"

Helena breathed heavily, she could feel her skin against her own. Her voice low she responded the only way she could, "Please, Don't stop."

"You love this." Quinzel smiled, she felt Helena shivering when her hand washed her belly, then, her hand got higher and began to massage just under her breast.

Helena felt her clit throbbing. She could feel the blonde's lips on her neck as her hand moved toward her breast. She gasped feeling Harley's free hand on its way down her belly towards her pubis.

"We always will be together, you are my mate." Harley smiled, as she continued to kiss the other woman's neck. She touched the brunette's fine curls and teased her for long seconds. The brunette began to rock her hips back and forth, feeling naked skin against her, hard nipples against her back. It was too much.

Suddenly, Helena turned and they kissed. Quinzel pressed her against the wall and moved her hand through Helena's messy hair, grabbing a handful. She tugged at it roughly as she kissed her. Her other hand played between Helena's legs. She parted the pouting labia and slipped two fingers into the brunette. Slowly; she began to move them in and out.

Helena growled, wrapping her arms around the other woman and biting her shoulder. The feeling had numbed all her senses. She couldn't breathe. Blood pounded through her ears and she could no longer hear anything other than her own laboured breath.


	14. Chapter 14

Helena snapped her eyes open, she was lying on the floor of her apartment. The first thing she saw was Quinzel. She pushed herself back.

The blonde lifted a hand to her.

"Don't you dare touch me…" the brunette growled, feral eyes threatening the woman who was trying to get close to her.

"Helena, easy, it's me…. Helena, you know I would never hurt you."

Images flashed in the brunette's head, she and Quinzel, touching, tasting. The brunette pushed herself back with her feet, only to be stopped by the wall. She didn't want to look at her face; she knew that if she looked at her again, she would be lost, lost in her spell. She closed her eyes and covered her face trying to get those images out of her mind.

"Hel, focus on my voice," Barbara said gently. After her unsuccessful attempts to reach the brunette over comms and on the phone, she'd gone out to look for Helena at her apartment. She found her lying on the floor, unmoving, staring vacantly and totally lost. The redhead had moved out of her wheelchair and had to practically slap her cheek to wake her, but Helena still seemed to be dreaming.

Worried, she noticed the younger woman was shaking. She dragged herself slowly to where Helena was curled up against the wall.

"Helena… it's me, please concentrate on my voice, I need you to wake up."

"No…." The young woman tightened in on herself even more.

"Breathe, take a deep breath… breathe and calm down…" She noticed Helena's trembling began to diminish. "That's it, that's it."

Helena was numb, drained. She opened her eyes slowly and stared at the floor, still afraid to look up.

Barbara watched her carefully. She looked tired, with big rings under her eyes. She noticed blue eyes finally lifting to look at her.

"Barbara?" she mumbled.

"Are you all right?"

The young woman nodded. She felt so tired, mentally exhausted. She wanted all the nightmares to stop, so she could sleep and rest. She was losing the control of everything. The last thing she remembered was walking into her apartment after her shift at the bar… and then… she thought she had gone to take a shower and Quinzel…. It was all a dream.

She felt tender fingers caressing her back and she jerked back at the touch. Barbara looked at her, startled.

"Please, don't touch me…" she mumbled. She needed to organize her ideas, her thoughts. Everything was so confusing.

"Let me help you," Barbara requested softly.

"I'm okay…"

"No, you are not okay. Please… let me help you."

Helena raised her head just enough to find tender green eyes regarding her. She felt so ashamed and she lowered her eyes. She couldn't face her. "I'm okay… I just fell asleep... and…"

"I know, Helena," Barbara said quietly.

"You know?"

"I know… I know about your dreams."

"They're just nightmares, Barbara." The brunette sat with her back against the wall, trying to catch her breath.

"I know that Quinzel is behind this… I talked to her a few hours ago."

"Crap…"

"I know about your visit to Arkham last night. Why didn't you tell me before, Helena?"

"They are just dreams, Barbara!" The brunette stood up, annoyed.

"No, you know that's not true! Stop saying that! She is trying to drive you mad."

"Stop! Just stop!" Helena closed her eyes and clenched her fists.

"Please, Helena! They are not 'just' dreams, let me help you. Quinzel told me everything, she told me she is controlling your dreams, your mind -- and she is not lying, each time will be worse than the last, you pass out while you are awake; you wake up frightened, not knowing if you are dreaming or not."

Helena crouched down and covered her ears. She was so confused and so ashamed. Barbara knew… knew she had been having sex with the insane woman. How could she face her now?

"Helena?" Barbara tried to touch her.

"Please, don't…" Helena stepped back again.

Barbara felt her heart break seeing the intense pain in the blue eyes.

"We fucked… I don't know how many times, but I did it…." the brunette said, almost in a whisper. She felt she couldn't face Barbara anymore, she had failed her again. She hadn't told her the truth in the beginning and, now, Quinn had told her they were not just dreams that they had slept together. She loved Barbara more than her own life. How could she fail her that way? She could never forgive herself. Barbara had always been so loving with her, always thinking of her, taking care of her. "I failed you, Barbara… I never… I love you so much… and I failed you."

Barbara noticed tears filling her eyes. "You never failed me."

"I failed you… I…."

"And we will fuck many more times. I need you, kitten."

Helena's eyes widened. Barbara's face changed into Quinzel's.

"No…"

"You love it… you need me, you want me."

"Fucking bitch! No!" … She suddenly ran and jumped through the window, breaking the glass, not giving Barbara any time to react.

"Helena! Dammit!" the redhead cursed, angry at her own limitations that prevented her from standing up and running after her.

She scrubbed at her face with her hand and noticed that she, too, had been crying.

* * *

"I can't find her," Barbara said, frustrated. She covered her face with her hands. To stop this nightmare, she needed Helena with her, so she could understand what was happening inside her mind and block Harley's influence. She had run away, totally disoriented and confused. Barbara looked for her everywhere she could think of, but she seemed to have disappeared. "I have tried in all the places she should be… and not a single trace of her."

Dinah turned her chair to face her mentor, "I called Reese, he is helping."

"I hope he has more luck than I did. I called Gibson. Maybe our friend at No Man's lands can help, too."

"She'll come back by herself, Barbara."

"I'm not sure…" the redhead leaned back in her chair, biting her lower lip. "I'm worried, she is not well. She seemed very disturbed, she is not in control of her actions. She just vanishes and falls into a deep dream. The dreams come regardless of whether or not she is awake." Barbara looked at the young teen. "She is dangerous… I'm afraid she may even try to kill herself…. Quinzel is pushing her so far. And I couldn't talk to her, I don't know exactly what she is dreaming."

The older woman was silent for a few moments.

Damn Quinzel.

She was screwing with Helena's mind. Would there ever be a day when they would be free of her? She was trying to destroy her by using Helena. That was not fair. Quinn was obsessed with Helena, she knew it, but she never thought her it would turn into a sexual obsession.

Helena was beautiful, sexy.

The image of the young woman, smiling, appeared in front of her. She smiled lightly. Thinking about how the psychotic "therapist" had taken advantage of the young woman in her hypnotic state made her blood boil with anger; that was so low and sick.

Her mind went back to the prison and remembered each word that she had exchanged with the blonde. She needed to remember everything -- maybe something that the blonde had said would help her find her young friend.

"Barbara?" Dinah's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"She mentioned a book." An idea came to the redhead's mind. "_Bluebird: Deliberate Creation of Multiple Personality by Psychiatrists by Dr. Colin Ross'_"

"And?"

"It provides proof, based on 15,000 pages of documents obtained from the CIA under the Freedom of Information Act, that the Manchurian Candidate is fact, not fiction. He describes the experiments conducted by psychiatrists to create amnesia, new identities, hypnotic access codes, and new memories in the minds of experimental subjects."

"Hypnotic access codes?"

"That must be the clue. Somehow, she created an hypnotic code in the Helena's subconscious when she was hypnotized a few months ago."

"She's smart. She knew you would break the spell."

"Yes… and she must have programmed Helena to trigger the code after a certain time period or when she heard a word."

"Can you stop it?"

"Yes, but I need to find her first."

Barbara resumed her research. She couldn't stop.

A thought hit her mind. Helena loved her.

Quinzel had told her. She never imagined Helena could have such deep feelings for her. They had lived together for so many years. It was natural that they spent so much time together. When had Helena's feelings for her changed? Why hadn't she noticed it before? Helena was sweet and tender with her. Always keeping an eye on her.

How could it be?

How could it be that a beautiful and strong woman like Helena could see her, in her current condition as a woman? Maybe she was confused by her feelings, mixing up gratefulness with love.

But, meanwhile, Harley Quinn knew about those feelings and she was trying to destroy her by using Helena. Helena felt guilty.. And she knew the feeling was killing her, she had seen the pain in her eyes, the sorrow.

It pushed Barbara to keep going, to not let the woman win. Helena was strong. Barbara would not let her fall into Quinzel's hands.

* * *

Helena stumbled on the floor feeling spent. She had run between buildings for hours. Running, she thought she would escape Quinzel's voice echoing in her mind, calling her. She laid on the cool ground of the rooftop, unmoving for long minutes. She was exhausted; she didn't have the strength to keep fighting. She couldn't handle it anymore. The sensation of cold snowflakes make her open her eyes, her head throbbing.

She still felt so tired, and sleepy. It was like being drugged. Her thoughts were confused and distorted. She only could think of Harley. And she didn't want to.

It couldn't be… she was a criminal. She was using her.

Her eyes closed and she could see the blonde calling her; asking for her.

"No..." She needed to go back to the Clock Tower. Barbara would help her.

She needed to clear her mind, but the confusion didn't allow her to think. She felt her body trembling, fighting Quinzel's spell, she was trying to control her actions, her thoughts, her mind.

The voice of sounded louder in her hears. She closed her eyes, trying to focus and not listen to Harley's voice.

Barbara's face appeared in her thoughts.

She loved Barbara, she couldn't betray her. She needed to go back to the Clock Tower. She needed to clear her mind. She slowly raised her hand toward her necklace. Call Barbara, she must call Barbara.

Quinzel's voice again got louder in her head.

She covered her hears with her hands and winced. She wanted it to stop. It was making her crazy.

"Barbara… please…" she mumbled.

Dazed, she half-opened her eyes. She couldn't refuse the call, but she couldn't betray Barbara, she loved her.

She needed to fight.

Fight against the fatigue she felt invading her body, against the heavy eye lids…she couldn't sleep, she would be in another Harley nightmare.

But her body betrayed her and, against her will, she passed out.

* * *

The blonde turned the page of the book in her hands. She loved this book, maybe she would write a book, too, and give tips about how to get rid of annoying crime fighters. There were just so many creative ways. Yeah, it would be helpful. Who said that being a superhero was a good idea? She would have been rich years ago if superheroes were just in comic books.

She raised her head and noticed a dark figure standing against the wall.

"I was wondering where you were." She stood up and turned to the wall. "Damn, Helena, you are so hard to control."

The young woman stepped toward her. A light from the dark cell lit her face. Her expression was serious and cold. Quinn observed her and smirked.

"I thought it would be easier, but I was wrong. But you need me, you need me more than the air you breathe."

Helena remained unmoving, staring at her, fist in balls.

She was struggling against herself. Her mind was telling her to stop, that this was wrong, but she couldn't control her feelings, her instincts.

She closed her eyes.

She wanted her. She wanted that woman.

Barbara.

She loved Barbara, this was so wrong.

"Helena.." Quinzel said, knowing the brunette was hesitating. "You are mine, you can't fight it… you can't refuse the call of my voice. You want me, you want me more than you have ever wanted anything."

"I…" the brunette felt her body humming. Her desire growing.

"You need me, Helena, you need me more than you have ever wanted anyone."

The young woman walked toward her, slowly.

"Yes, come to me… You owe me, you are mine…."

The young woman put her hands on the glass and rested her forehead on it.

She wanted Barbara, she loved Barbara. But the voice, the voice was a damn call she couldn't refuse. She was trying, but the voice was overwhelming all her senses, all her reason.

"Now, my little pet, it's time to go. We have a lot of work to do. Get me out of this cell and we will go. Break this cell open."

Helena raised her head and looked at her.

"Let's go home."

TO BE CONTINUED...


	15. Chapter 15

"Everything is in that book, the Bluebird. I need to find out how Quinn can control Helena's mind, thoughts, dreams," Barbara said, checking in the library upstairs at the Clock Tower. She was sure she had seen that book somewhere.

Dinah helped her, checking in the next bookcase. Her fingers moved over the cover of some books looking for the correct title.

"It's a blue-grey cover, white letters. Bluebird was approved by the CIA director on 1950. The Project was renamed Artichoke. Artichoke documents prove that hypnotic couriers functioned effectively in real-life simulations conducted by the CIA."

"Here it is," Dinah said.

"Oh, excellent."

The Delphi alarm filled the entire place. Both turned at the same time. Barbara wheeled toward the rail and noted the red alert sign on all the Delphi screens. Dinah frowned, she had never seen the system so noisy.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Arkham, someone is trying to escape." Barbara wheeled toward the elevator.

"Oh no." The blonde ran stairs down.

As soon as the redhead was in front her monitor, she took control of her keyboard, typing as fast as she could. Several windows opened on her screen. A cold shiver ran through her body when she saw the main window. "Quinzel."

"What?"

"The alert is for her, someone broke inside her cell."

The teen sat in front of the next monitor.

"I'll check the cameras." The young woman entered the security cameras system. Arkham was in chaos. Police were running in the corridors and outside. She clicked over to the camera showing Quinn's cell. The main glass of the cell was broken, she turned the camera and noticed the metal door had disappeared and Quinzel was gone.

"Dinah, zoom in to the door on the floor." The redhead noticed it and pointed at the screen from her place.

The teen obeyed.

"The door was ripped off," Dinah said.

"Helena."

"What?"

"Must be Helena…" She turned back to her monitor, looking for the tape file. After a few minutes she found the files. A knot formed in her throat.

It was Helena.

The images showed her inside the cell, helping Harley escape. Dammit! What she had done to her?

"Barbara?" Dinah's voice was at her back. The teen was standing behind her, surprised by the images on Barbara's screen.

"Quinn is controlling her," the redhead mumbled, rubbing her forehead with her fingers.

"Oh no…"

"Damn bitch… she is playing with her mind." Barbara was overcome with guilt. Why hadn't she paid more attention to Helena's nightmares? She could have stopped this in time. But she couldn't waste time thinking of this now. "Help me look for them. Check radio signals."

The blonde sat at her desk and began to search all the police frequencies. The redhead hit a button on her console, bringing up the feeds from the security cameras all over the building. Her eyes fixed on the screen, looking for any sign of them. She looked in the corridors, on the rooftops, in the offices, in every corner but she couldn't find any sign of them, they had already disappeared.

They were gone.

"Delete all the files where Helena appears," Barbara told Dinah, turning toward the next computer, "and save it in the computer."

She checked for them on the cameras watching New Gotham -- streets, alleys, buildings, trying to find them.

Hours later, Dinah had gone to bed and she was exhausted. She kept working, but couldn't find any trace of the evil woman and Helena. She put her glasses on the desk and pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes.

She needed to find Helena, before Quinn could hurt her more, and before she used her in her evil plans to control New Gotham. The dark woman was a lethal weapon.

Her fingers pressed the right button of her mouse. And image played on her screen: Helena was on the screen. Her brow furrowed as she followed Helena's movements inside the Asylum. She pressed the pause button and stared at the clear image of Helena standing in front of Quinzel's cell in silence.

"Oh Hel," she whispered, "what's going on in your head?"

* * *

New Gotham hills.

Almost at the top of one of the highest hills, below the deep forest, there was a hidden entrance. Quinn had kept the hideout prepared just in case her attack on the Clock Tower failed. Her instinct hadn't failed. Her team had been working non-stop, buying high-tech weapons.

The same criminals for which Oracle had been looking for months.

Quinzel walked inside her new hideout, followed by the brunette. It felt so good to not have those damn glasses covering her eyes. "Oh, Helena, this is so marvelous!! This time no one will stop me." She began to dance around the place moving her arms side to side. Her dream would soon be reality.

Helena remained still, watching her.

Oracle had screwed up her plans, but her plot for revenge was working flawlessly. Her plan was perfect, she knew that Barbara would try to break the hypnotic spell on her young partner, so, Halrey had designed and implemented a devious plan to control her with a hypnotically implanted trigger. When Barbara dehypnotized her, she activated the time trigger, which was scheduled to turn on exactly five months later.

Helena had a strong mind. To control her, she first needed to eliminate all her defenses. The best way to do that was to confuse her. The erotic dreams were perfect to confuse her... and since the brunette had confessed her love for Barbara, she knew there was no way the brunette would ever talk to her partner about the dreams. It was a beautiful plan.

After two weeks of dreams, her subconscious would trigger the second suggestive implant in which the dreams would increase and she would start to dream while wake and see Harley everywhere. It would cause her to confuse reality and illusion, make her avoid sleep and, in turn break down all mental defenses.

It was then that the third hypnotic implant would activate. Helena's mind would begin thinking of Harley with sexual desire. In her weak and confused state of mind, she would be unable to fight it and she would start to hear Quinzel's voice calling her and feel her body humming, creating an irrepressible desire to be with the blonde.

Which, of course, meant that Helena would free her from jail. Her plan had worked.

And, along the way, she smiled to herself, she was hurting her worst enemy, by turning Helena to the dark side.

She was a genius.

"Look at all this equipment ready to help me to conquest this city!" the blonde said in delight. "New Gotham will be mine." She turned toward the brunette, cupped her cheeks in her hands, and looked into blue eyes. Her eyes twisted in madness, capturing the young woman's gaze.

"As you are mine now," she whispered and kissed her.

Helena kissed her back and wrapped her arms around her. She felt like her body was in heat, she absentmindedly ran her fingers through golden hair. Simultaneously, Quinzel was caressing her arm. She didn't know why, but it was a damn sensitive spot on her, her inner arm.

She felt Quinzel move her hand to palm a soft, warm, firm mound. Helena growled and bit the other woman's neck. Her blood was blazing. The rush hit her with full force, humming through her entire body. She wanted to get lost in Harley's skin.

"Touch me…" she mumbled, between gasps. She needed to feel Harley touching her.

Quinzel smiled, noticing the intense look in Helena's eyes. She was very clearly filled with desire. The next kiss was rough and hard.

The brunette pressed her against the wall and put a leg between Harley's thighs.

"Wow, kitten, you are improving." Quinzel gasped, moving her head back. "But not now."

"Please touch me…"

"Not now, kitten." She gave her a soft kiss on her lips. She loved to tease her.

"I want you," Helena said hoarsely.

"Yes, dear, I know… but not now." She caressed her face with her finger. "We have work to do."

"I want you now."

"I said no… not yet…" Quinzel silenced her with an index finger over her lips. "First, I need you to complete some tasks. Later, you will get your reward."

"But I…"

"We must focus now on the conquest of this city and, then, I'll enjoy your lithe body and I'll touch you until you cry out in pleasure… But we must finish our task, first."

Helena nuzzled her head into Quinzel's shoulder, nodding. It took her a few seconds to recover her breath and come back to her senses. She was confused.

The blonde leaned in and kissed her head.

* * *

Barbara couldn't avoid the feeling of emptiness in her soul knowing Helena was totally in the hands of Harley Quinn. She worked persistently at the Delphi. Quinn had disabled Helena's necklace, 

knowing Barbara would use it to track her young partner. Over the last couple of days, there had been some new robberies, at the US army storage facility. Four big containers with high-tech weapons had disappeared.

Helena was behind all this. Barbara knew her style, she knew her movements. Quinzel was preparing to create a big war. She bit her lips, feeling so useless at that moment. All her attempts to find the mad woman had been unsuccessful. Reese was helping her by sending reports from the Police Department, but nothing had work panned out.

Quinzel, this time, seemed to have covered all her tracks.

"Linda MacDonald was a victim of Dr. Ewen Cameron's unethical, destructive mind control experiments between May 1 and September 12, 1963." Dinah read, in loud a voice, from a page of the book she had in her hands. She was seated at a desk behind the redhead "Dr. Cameron used a "treatment" which involved intensive application of three brainwashing techniques; drug disinhibition, prolonged sleep treatment, and prolonged psychological isolation. These were combined with ECT Electro Convulsive Therapy treatments. His depattering technique resulted in the programming of people mind's and complete amnesia. It would trigger with a word or after certain amount of time. People would be completely disoriented, and didn't know their own name, age or where they were. People couldn't recognize their family or friends."

Barbara raised her head and stared at the wall for long seconds.

"Barbara?" Dinah asked.

"She was pretty smart," the redhead said, turning to look at the teen. "She must have programmed Helena's subconscious when she hypnotized her months ago."

"I don't get it."

"It was the second part of her plan, if the first failed," she explained, removing her eyeglasses. "I could pull Helena out of the hypnotic spell, but I never checked her further. Quinzel must have implanted a subconscious program."

"And, then, something triggered it."

"Yes, the nightmares were a signal that the program had started. It started as common nightmares and began to build up. She couldn't control the dreams…" The redhead ran a quick search in her computer, looking for the video from the bar. When she found it, she zoomed in on Helena's face. "Look at her expression, she's sitting... she talks with the waiter... and then just watches the people dancing downstairs. But here…" she pointed at the screen, "look at her expression, she suddenly seems to be lost, she lowered her head and her eyes are half closed. She is completely still for the next five minutes."

"The dreams started to occur all the time, not just when she's asleep." Dinah said.

"Yes, they began to increase and were so real that she was confused, she attacked me the other night, here, and she created a mess at the bar. When she attacked me she was angry--"

"She thought she was with Quinzel."

"Exactly."

"But why did she dream she was having sex with Quinzel? That is so sick."

"Quinn programmed her to dream that; it would confuse her. Helena didn't understand it either, it made her feel guilty; dreaming about being in bed with your worst enemy is terrible. She got Helena thinking of other things and not about the purpose of the dreams: control. She caught her off guard." Barbara shook her head.

"And the programming Harley created worked well."

"Yes, it began to control her step by step." Barbara used a finger to push her eyeglasses up her nose and sighed. "I didn't see it coming. Now she is under Quinn's control… again."

"But what could trigger the program in her mind?"

"I don't know." The older woman leaned back in her chair. "It could be anything - a word, an image. Quinzel could have used anything as the trigger."

"But you can break the spell again this time, no?" Dinah asked, worried. She knew that this time things wouldn't be so easy.

The redhead thought about the question a few seconds before answering. "This was work deep in Helena's mind. Harley used the technique in that book; she programmed her. But the problem is that I don't know what she used to do it, and what trigged it. We need to repeat the same procedure to totally reverse the effect and annul the trigger."

"So, we first need to catch caught her, then make Quinzel confess what she did, and, then, reverse the program. Easy task," the teen mumbled.

"Very."

"So what's our next step?"

"They are behind these thefts of high tech weapons and they need a place as a hideout."

"Our usual informants don't know anything about this."

"I know. But 'impossible' is not in our vocabulary."


	16. Chapter 16

She loved her. She had known it for so long. She could see Barbara's face smiling at her from the Delphi, Barbara in that sexy training outfit, fighting with her in the training room, showing firm muscles with every moment she made.

Barbara Gordon.

Her mentor, her partner, her confident for so long. She still didn't know when her feelings for the older woman had morphed into love. She'd wanted to confess her love so many times, but she had stopped, she respected her too much. She just wanted stay with her the rest of her life and couldn't risk Barbara pushing her away.

She raised her head. Was she dreaming again? Why she was dreaming with about these kinds of things?

What was she doing here?

"Helena?"

The brunette turned, cocking her head. Harley was there, wearing her red and black skin-tight costume. She felt her heart beating faster. Why couldn't she just jump one her and knock her out? She was a mad woman whose only goal was to hurt Barbara and her.

"Helena, disable it."

She was Harleen Quinzel, Harley Quinn, the girlfriend of the Joker. The man who had crippled Barbara... but she wanted her. When had the blonde started to turn her on? She couldn't remember. Why did everything seem to be a foggy nightmare where she lost control of her emotions and reactions? Why was it so hard to remember things lately? It was like being inside a deep, crazy dream, where up was down and down was up. She couldn't understand what she doing and why she was doing it.

"Helena? Darling?" Quinzel walked toward her, noticing the hesitation. She cupped the brunette's face in her hands. "I want you to disable the system. We need to go inside and steal the wonderful weapons that are waiting for me."

Helena remained still, watching her in confusion.

"Listen to my voice." Her eyes fixed on Helena's. "You can't refuse my call, you want me, you will do anything for me," she said in a soft voice. "I'm your life; I'm in your mind and in all your deepest thoughts and desires. I can make all your darkest dreams and wants a reality. I can give you anything."

The dark woman felt dazed, trapped in her spell. The woman was so beautiful, so desirable. Her red lips screamed for attention, she wanted lick that white skin, trap the red mouth and kiss her until she didn't have air in her lungs. She leaned in, searching for her lips.

Quinzel smiled and moved back. "But work first, Kitten, then pleasure."

Helena tried to kiss her again; Harley laughed and took a step back. "We are working, darling; we'll have fun later. Let's go, time is running."

The dark head ducked and hid behind messy bangs.

"Come on, Helena, do it."

The dark woman trapped her wrist and pulled her against her. Her lips found their target, the kiss was hard and intense. She pressed the blonde against the wall and, with her hand, she trapped one of her breast.

"I want you," she growled pressing her thigh against Quinn's crotch.

The blonde gasped at the surprising attack; Helena's eyes were feral. She wrapped her arms around the young woman's neck and Helena began to move her thigh against her. The feeling was exciting, but she didn't have time for this now.

Quinzel pulled back. "Later, Kitten… it's too dangerous now."

"I don't care."

She tried to kiss her, but the blonde stopped her movement. "I said later, understand? Get to work," she gasped between laboured breaths.

The dark woman growled, but obeyed. She couldn't refuse her orders.

"All right. Let's do it." Helena said, turning and began to disarm the alarm system.

It took a few seconds for Quinzel recover her breath.

It took Helena all of half a minute to disable the alarms. "It's done," she said.

Quinzel smiled and clapped her hands, laughing. "Go! Tell them to come inside-- we don't have much time."

The brunette nodded and ran outside.

* * *

"It was too late, when we arrived they were gone," Dinah said.

She looked tired and exhausted.

The blonde let herself fall on a chair behind Barbara, who was still sitting at her post in front of the Delphi. Barbara had thought that a storage facilty close to New Gotham Bay would be the next target, so she'd sent Dinah and Jesse there, they'd just been too late.

"Did you find any clues?" Barbara asked, hopefully.

"I took pictures of the tire tracks of the trucks." She handed over a USB key. Dinah crossed her arms over her legs. She was frustrated. She wanted Helena back. Helena working for Quinzel and being out of her mind was a very dangerous combination.

The older woman put they USB key in her computer.

"It was fast and clean." Dinah said, "They stole four cannons."

"Not good."

Barbara studied the pictures on the screen and selected the print of one of the trucks. She then initiated a search to find a truck to match them. A beep called the older woman's attention. She felt her heart beating faster. "An incoming message…. It's Harley."

Dinah stood up immediately and went to stand next to her mentor.

Barbara took control of her keyboard again and opened the main message. It was a video message. Quinzel appeared.

Hello, Barbara Gordon, nice to see you again. I must say you can't stop me this time and I suggest that you don't attempt to interfere. It will piss me off.

"You will never win, Quinn."

Well, that's what superheroes always say and they always win, but only in the comics.

"I caught you once and I'll do it again."

Oh, don't be so sure… this time I have everything covered and do you know what? She began to walk and stopped next to her young partner.

"Helena…" she mumbled.

Yes, Helena, Quinn took the brunette's hand and rested her head on the brunette's shoulder She is an incredible warrior, and this time she lifted her face, inches from Helena's. You can't break my program. You will never do it.

The dark woman leaned in and kissed Harley on her lips. The kiss was deep and passionate. Barbara felt like a knife was stabbing her chest, the air was gone from her lungs and she couldn't breathe. Helena was kissing her. The image multiplied inside her head, like flashes of light blinding her.

Quinzel laughed and turned to look at Barbara. She is mine, all mine. Your dear Huntress has given her body and soul to me. My prince stole your ability to walk, I stole your love and now, I'm stealing you the soul of your best friend, your confident. How do you feel?

"You will never have her. You are using her and I'll stop you. This is not over." The redhead, with a knot in her throat, made her best effort to not show her anger. The kiss, that kiss, had been the hardest blow Harley had thrown at her. She couldn't describe the pain crushing her heart.

The mad woman laughed again. My poor, Barbara, always dreaming of justice... But you are right, this is not over. I'll destroy you. I promise you that...

The image disappeared as fast as it had appeared.

"Shit…" Dinah mumbled. Barbara was so stunned that she didn't scold her for the use of that word.

"That sicko is so...sick." She watched her mentor's shocked expression, "Barbara?"

The older woman blinked. "Damn bitch," she mumbled. "I must rescue Helena. I must rescue her."

The obsession overwhelmed the redhead. She couldn't get the image of Helena kissing Quinn out of her head. She worked, then, on getting the video from the storage facility. It was a piece of cake.

Dinah looked through the videos, including the ones from inside the storage facility. Helena was helping the men put the heavy boxes on the trucks and, afterwards, covering their escape.

The trucks were hard to see in the dark, Barbara wasn't sure of the model, but her search for the tire tracks on pulled a few models of vehicles using that kind of tire. Dinah was working on it

Hours later, Dinah had gone to sleep. She had been watching the videos of the recent assault several times, she checked the one at the guard's office; the only one she hadn't watched thus far. Helena was there… and Quinzel too. Helena grabbed Quinn roughly by the wrist and pulled her against her.

She felt dizzy. When the brunette pressed the blonde against the wall, Barbara noticed the clear movement of Helena's leg against the criminal. She like she was being cut in half, the anger boiling inside; she squeezed her fists in balls harder, making her knuckles turn white. Helena was trying to… seduce her, she clearly was trying to… the redhead's eyes lifted toward the image frozen on another screen, from the recent message of the crazy woman. Quinzel kissing Helena. It was obvious it was a real kiss and not just a touch of their lips.

She had watched Helena grow up, she had been with her every minute of her life after her mother's death; she had been her confident, her partner, her best friend; she had seen her turn from a small, angry child to a young, strong and beautiful woman. Yes, Helena was so beautiful, with a sexual magnetism that attracted many people, even her… even her? Well, it was natural to recognize beauty in another person. She couldn't deny and it would be stupid to deny Helena was beautiful and sexy-- her smile, her body, she was perfect.

Looking again at the image of Helena grabbing the blonde's breast with her hand and her thigh… between the crazy woman's legs made her want to rip off the blonde's head, hit her hard. Helena was hers. She noticed then, that she was crying, in anger, in frustration… in… jealousy.

She wiped her tears and covered her face with her hand.

Dammit, she was not thinking clearly. She was tired. Helena was gone and she didn't have any idea of how to get her back.

* * *

"Perfect, just perfect." Quinzel caressed the wooden box in front of her.

She and her gang were inside her hideout in the side of the hill. Inside, she had a big storage area which had several dozen boxes. The blonde walked around, some of her henchmen, dressed in black, were with her; Helena stood to the side.

All her plans were successful, luck was smiling on them. Her dreams were coming true. She laughed hard and opened her arms. She could finally make her dreams come true.

"We must work a bit more before getting our army ready," she said, looking at them. "I need to check our new plan to complete our acquisitions. We still have a long way to go…." She turned and rested her back on a wooden box, looking at Helena, she extended her hand to her. The brunette leaned down and kissed the back of her hand. "And you, my little pet, you are part of the success of my new plan." The blonde smirked, covering the strong hand with her own.

Helena smiled lightly.

Quinn enjoyed her victory, her plan was working and the fearsome Huntress was in her hands; she had total control over this powerful and beautiful woman.

"But…" she walked toward one of her men and took the pistol from his belt. "I need fix to a little mistake."

She turned and shot a man that was standing to her right. The bullet hit him in the middle of his head. The man hit the floor hard.

"Clean up the floor," she ordered, giving the gun back to the man from whom she'd taken it. She clapped her hands and exited the room. "Let's go, we have work to do."

The brunette followed her.

The blonde walked inside her bedroom, an elegant and comfortable space on the upper level. She removed her blouse and left her red bra on. Helena, at the doorframe, observed her.

"Why did you shoot him?"

"He was useless," Quinn said, looking at her face in the mirror. "At the storage facility he was slow and weak, he couldn't carry a box of weapons by himself, he needed the help of the other guys. We need to be fast; I need strong and capable men."

The dark woman walked toward her and hugged the blonde around her waist, pressing her body against her back. She kissed her neck.

"Please…"

Quinzel smiled and turned in her arms. She raised her hand and brushed dark hair back. Helena closed her eyes, enjoying the caress, she took a deep breath.

"I need to do a job for me," she whispered.

"You don't want to sleep with me." Helena said in a low voice.

"We'll do it, I told you. When we finish all of our tasks and I control New Gotham." She loved to taunt the younger woman, having her drooling and begging to make love.

Helena pressed Harley tightly against her. "Just once…"

"No, not yet, kitten." She kissed her neck "And, besides, I need you to do a job for me."

"A job?"

"A special job... for me."

* * *

Barbara had her head covered with her hands, staring to her notes in the dining room. She had been reading all her papers over and over, but she wasn't getting anywhere. The tracks form the truck and the dark images of the videos showed they had used army trucks, so she knew Harley needed a big place to hide them.

She couldn't forget the image of Helena kissing Quinzel. It left a painful, gaping hole in her chest. She was having trouble sleeping and when she actually did sleep, it was restless. She was so tired and she knew that she needed to rest in order to think clearly.

The mad woman had planned everything perfectly this time. It had been almost seven days since Helena had disappeared, since she had seen the confusion in her face that Sunday night after her visit at Arkham. She could still see the confusion and pain in blue eyes when Helena told her about her dreams. She still could feel the ache in her heart when Helena refused to let her touch her.

And she had been kissing Quinzel.

She was afraid. She hadn't told Dinah, but she was afraid that she would never see her again, that Quinn would kill her before she could rescue her because Quinn knows how important Helena is to her… and how much Helena loves her.

Helena loved her.

The confession still left her shocked.

Helena, her fierce partner, the strong, beautiful and independent crime fighter that had became the most important person in her life… loves her.

She removed her hands from her face and froze.

The brunette was there, staring at her, standing at the entrance of the kitchen, her hands inside her long black coat. She hadn't see her in almost eight days; her heart beat faster in joy. She hadn't known where she was or how she was doing. Barbara had spent sleepless nights thinking about her, thinking about how to bring her back, and now she was here.

The young woman looked terribly beautiful. If she hadn't been in her wheelchair, she wouldn't be able to stop herself from running to her and hugging her.

"Helena?" she asked, hopefully. "Are you all right?"

The thin woman walked inside and stood at the other side of the table. "I knew I would find you here."

"How are you?" Barbara asked, carefully, quickly realizing this would be like the last time she had been hypnotized. Her gaze was as cold as her words.

Helena touched the table of the dining room with her fingers and lowered her head. "I'm fine… you?"

"How did you get in? I changed the codes." The redhead carefully moved her hand to the side of her chair. Her hand found her escrima sticks.

"Well, I had a good teacher." She shrugged her shoulders. She still didn't look at the redhead. "It was easy to find the code."

"Quinn sent you?"

The young woman smirked and lifted her head to meet Barbara's eyes. She circled the table slowly toward her. Barbara suddenly knew what it felt like to be prey stalked by a hunter. She instinctively moved her chair back.

"Is that a problem?" she asked.

to be continued...


	17. Chapter 17

"You are under her spell, Helena, let me help you."

"I don't need any help."

"Helena, please…" Barbara raised her hand.

The brunette grabbed her wrist and smiled. "Your time is up, Oracle, I'm sorry."

Out of nowhere, the brunette felt a hard blow on her head, she fell to the floor. Barbara wheeled back a few meters. She looked downstairs, she had been working on a device to dehypnotize Helena, but it was at her desk near the Delphi. She knew that running was useless, Helena was strong and fast. Her only opportunity was to face her.

"Damn stupid bitch!" the dark haired woman growled, standing up.

She pounced on her, but Barbara blocked her with her sticks. She hit Helena again, on her knee and she bent over; the next blow hit her hard in her gut. The brunette, annoyed, finally grabbed Barbara's wrist and twisted her hand painfully. With her other hand, she grabbed the redhead's other wrist and slammed against the arm of the chair, making her release the stick.

"Now it's my turn," Helena growled.

She lifted her from the chair and smashed her back against the kitchen counter knocking dishes and glasses to the floor. Barbara winced in pain.

"What?" Helena grinned. "You aren't having fun now?"

She hit her hard in her face and the redhead saw stars. Without the support of her legs, she fell to the floor.

"Come on, Oracle, don't tell me you are so easily defeated." She lifted her up by the back of her shirt and threw her against the fridge. Barbara bounced and hit the floor hard.

"Well," Helena smiled, walking toward her "What happened, all-knowing Oracle? Is that all you have? You disappoint me."

Barbara coughed and spit blood, she had split her lip. She noticed Helena coming closer, she also saw her escrima stick a few inches from her. She felt Helena's hand on her shirt again, but this time, when the brunette lifted her, she slammed the stick across Helena's face, causing the dark woman step back and release her.

The fall to the floor was not soft. But Barbara didn't have to think about it. She dragged herself back and tried to prepare for the next attack. Before she could get ready, Helena was over her again, the brunette punched her hard in her stomach and knocked the air out of her lungs.

Helena put her hand around Barbara's throat. "Your time is up. Quinn told me you would mess with us, and I don't want anyone piss her off."

"Helena…" Barbara choked grabbing the hand around her neck "I can't breathe…"

"That's the idea…" Helena slapped her hard on the face.

She opened her mouth trying to get air into her lungs, but Helena kept her grip firm.

Suddenly, the brunette let go and, coughing, Barbara turned to her side. She could see Dinah out of the corner of her eye.

"Get off her!" the teen shouted. She had pushed Helena back using her TK and threw her against the wall. Helena quickly got to her feet.

"Good move, kid…" she said, smiling. "But now you are in trouble."

The teen, studying in her room, had heard the noise in the kitchen and had run out to see what was going on. She gasped in horror when she saw Helena attacking Barbara.

"Don't touch her again!"

Helena walked toward the blonde, her fists balled. "And who is going to stop me? You?"

"Of course…" the teen raised her hand and pushed her partner back again with her TK power.

Helena hit the wall again. Annoyed, she tried to jump on Dinah, but the teen pushed her back, yet again with her mental power, this time sending her flying away and hitting the floor below.

The teen kneeled next to Barbara. "Are you okay?"

"Careful, she is not herself…" Barbara coughed. "The device to dehypnotize her is on my desk, at the Delphi."

"Right. I'll try to stop her." Dinah righted Barbara's chair her and stood up, running toward the rail. Her partner was standing up, her feral eyes a clear indication that she was pissed.

"You are dead, kid." She growled.

"You have to catch me first," the teen said, moving her hand to throw a desk toward her. Helena ducked and avoided it.

Dinah ran toward the other side of the second floor, to the living room. Suddenly, Helena jumped and intercepted her.

"Hi kid… Going somewhere?" She threw a punch that the teen blocked. The next blow was blocked too. Helena smiled, grabbing Dinah's wrist with her other hand. "Hey, you are improving." She turned and kicked her in the side.

Dinah hit the wall. Helena jumped at her, but the blonde rolled to avoid her. Huntress' impact made a hole in the wall. The teen opened her eyes wide.

"Are you crazy?" she asked, kneeling. "You are going to kill me."

"That's the idea." Helena kicked out, but Dinah ducked, sweeping and hitting the brunette's legs, making her fall backwards

Dinah took the opportunity and ran downstairs.

Helena landed smoothly between Dinah and the Delphi. "Where are you going? We aren't finished." She threw a punch that Dinah blocked with her arm. They began to exchange kicks and punches; a fist connected on the teens jaw and she felt her knees buckle; she fell on one knee and lifted her hand, she pushed Helena back with her TK.

She was beginning to tire and Helena didn't show any sign of fatigue. She needed to keep her back with her mental power. Before she finished her thoughts, Helena was on her again. She focused on her and the brunette hit an invisible barrier between them.

"Ohh… a new trick, eh?" Helena grinned, she made a fist and hit the invisible barrier with all her strength. It was useless, so she hit it again.

Dinah felt a stabbing pain in her head. She fell to one knee. Helena was really strong.

"Stop, Helena! Quinzel is controlling you," she shouted.

"Oh, shut up… Your time is up." She used both hands to smash the invisible barrier again.

Dinah tried to hold the shield, but she was tiring quickly and each of Helena's blows made her feel weaker.

Helena realized this and taunted her. "What's wrong, blondie? Am I too much for you?" she kicked the barrier harder. Suddenly, she felt a prick on her leg. "What the f…?" She turned and noticed a small dart buried in her thigh. She removed it and lifted her head to see Barbara pointing at her with a dart gun.

Oracle had reached her chair and found a tranquilizer gun

"Shit…" Knowing she would be out very soon, Helena glared at her "Soon…" she threatened before running toward the balcony doors.

"Helena, stop!" Barbara yelled and tried to shoot her again, but the brunette was too fast. She jumped through the glass of the balcony, breaking it.

The teen let herself fall on the floor ,exhausted. Barbara hesitated for a second before wheeling toward the teenager.

"Are you okay?" she asked her.

"Just give me a few minutes," the teen said, catching her breath. "Where is Helena?"

"She ran away, but the dart will knock her out soon. We must find her."

* * *

The blonde paced furiously inside her hideout. Helena hadn't returned last night after sending her to kill Oracle. She was the only one who could do it. She knew the Clock Tower, all its secrets. She had waited until the first rays of the morning and she hadn't appeared. Then, she'd cursed Barbara Gordon, again Barbara Gordon was interfering with her plans; always Barbara Gordon. She swiped her hand over the table next to her, knocking all the objects to the floor.

She didn't expect his, she needed to stop her before she continued with her plan or the irritating woman would screw everything again.

"How the hell could you fail?" she shouted "You must kill her!"

Helena stood in the middle of the room, her head lowered. The dart that Barbara had shot her with last night had knocked her out and she had fallen unconscious in the forest on her way back o Harley. She'd woken at almost noon with a horrible headache. Angry because she had failed, she had returned to Quinn's hideout just to face her fury.

The brunette tried to touch her arm, but Quinzel moved back furious. "Don't touch me! You failed! I asked you to kill Barbara Gordon! A crippled woman! And what happened? She defeated you!" Harley stood in front of her and mocked her. "A disabled woman defeated the powerful, strong and fierce "Huntress"... Brave girl…"

"Dinah…"

"Shut up!!" Harley yelled, pointing at her "Don't tell me a stupid teenager is stronger than you!"

"She distracted me!" Helena said, trying to explain.

"Don't fuck with me, Huntress! You can defeat ten man! Do you expect me to believe that an invalid and a teenager are that much better than you?"

The blonde turned away, pissed.

The brunette felt ashamed. "I'm sorry," she mumbled wrapping her arms around the other woman's waist. "I need you."

Quinn freed herself from the hug and stared at the brunette in anger. "I don't care what you need! I need Barbara Gordon dead, understand?" she growled "Dead!! I don't want to see you again until you bring me her fucking, lifeless body!"

The blonde stormed out of the room, slamming the door.

"Harley…" Helena called her, but the blonde disappeared down the corridor. "Fuck!" Annoyed, the brunette took a chair and threw it against the wall. She paced frantically. She needed Harley, she wanted her. And now Harley was pissed because of her. To get what she wanted, she needed to kill Barbara Gordon first.

And she knew where to find her. She took her coat and walked out of the room.

* * *

They couldn't find her. They looked for the brunette in every corner of the city after she had been shot with the tranquilizer. She had disappeared. Dinah had done an excellent work; she had saved her life and risked her own facing a fearsome, out of control Huntress. She surely would have killed them both if Barbara hadn't managed to shoot her with the tranquilizer.

She and Dinah needed to prepare for her next attack, Helena was surely pissed and she would try to come back and finish her task. A task that Quinzel had ordered. Helena wasn't a person used to failing. She would try again, and again, until she accomplished her goal. Barbara knew her.

That made her more dangerous in her current state of mind.

She looked at her watch, time to go home and to continue her search for her young partner. She picked up her books and put them in her lap. Pressing a button on her wheelchair, she wheeled through the long corridor toward the exit.

"Don't forget the meeting tomorrow at ten, Miss Gordon," a professor said from behind her. He was Martin, the new chemistry teacher. He was a handsome and tall man that had just arrived a few months before.

"Sure." She smiled turning to see him. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"I'd love to get some coffee with you after the meeting."

"Oh… Thanks." Barbara smiled nervously. She had too many troubles to be thinking about a pleasant afternoon "But, I have a complicated week… Perhaps another time?"

"Sure, I'd love it."

She moved her chair toward the parking lot. She needed to get home early, she had promised Dinah. The girl had been so exhausted that she let her sleep late and skip school. Barbara suddenly thought of a new idea to try to capture Quinzel with a trap. Her father could help her with it. It was an easy plan and she was sure it would work.

She arrived at the hummer and after a few minutes, she was ready to leave. She fastened her seat belt and turned on the engine. She put the car in gear and drove toward the main street.

Helena.

She couldn't stop thinking about her.

Her window broke into thousands of pieces she bent over, covering her face.

"Hi." Helena grinned, hanging on the window "Did you miss me?"

Barbara, startled, looked at her. The brunette took the wheel and yanked it hard to the right.

"I'll kill you!" she growled.

They hit a parked car. Barbara tried to keep control of the vehicle and pressed the accelerator. Helena kept her grip on the wheel. The redhead unlocked the door and opened it, hitting Helena.

The brunette, annoyed, tried to climb inside the vehicle. She pressed the accelerator button that was next to the wheel. Her body was half inside the vehicle and Barbara looked frantically inside her pocket for an object. They crashed into the side of another vehicle and bounced against a third one.

"You are dead." Helena finally inside, grabbed the redhead by her throat.

Barbara raised her hand and shot a beam of light beam directly into the younger woman's eyes. Helena growled and covered her face. The redhead suddenly noticed they were about to hit a big truck in front of them.

The impact was hard, Barbara heard the sound of metal bending and glass breaking. Helena's hit the front glass windshield, breaking it and flying outside the vehicle. The air bags deployed.

She must have lost consciousness for a few seconds because when she came back to her senses, a man was checking on her; she was lying on the floor. She raised her head and noticed a light trace of blood. Her mind immediately focused on the brunette.

"Helena?"

"Don't move, ma'am, an ambulance is coming, you are injured," the man at her side said.

"Where is Helena?" she looked around. "Where is the woman wearing black clothes?"

"Easy lady."

She pushed the man back with anger and looked to the front of the vehicle. She gasped in horror. She could see Helena's feet on the ground between the two vehicles.


	18. Chapter 18

"Thanks, Reese," the redhead said to the handsome black man.

"No problem, Oracle." He carried the unconscious Helena in his arms. She had severe cuts around all over her body. "I drove as fast as I could when you called me. You need to take care of your head first.

Barbara touched her forehead and winced, but she knew it was nothing serious, maybe the glass had scratched her head in the accident. "I'm okay. She is more important now. The accident was awful." The elevator doors opened. "How are you going to explain that you kidnapped us?"

"That's a minor problem that we can solve later. The traffic was blocked for a march a few blocks ahead, so I can just say that you both needed to get to the hospital immediately."

The elevator doors opened and they walked inside. "This way," Barbara said.

"Barbara, what happened?" Dinah asked in surprised when she saw them appear. She was checking the latest news on the Delphi. Immediately, she stood up and followed them. "What happened to you? And what happened to Helena?"

"A car accident." Barbara explained, wheeling toward her cabinet in the lab. "Dinah, use the scanner on her. I need to know how badly she is injured."

The teen nodded and followed her instructions.

"Oh my…" Alfred mumbled, walking downstairs and seeing the former Batgirls' shirt covered in blood. "Are you all right, Miss Barbara?"

"Yes, just a few scratches and you know that head wounds bleed excessively, but I'm okay. Helena attacked me while I was driving out of the school. We fought and I had time to flash the light in her eyes to dehypnotize her. Luckily, I had it on my pocket, after the attack last night I kept it close."

"And it worked?" the butler asked, preparing everything Barbara would need to bandage Helena.

"I hope so. I blinded her and at that moment, we hit a truck, she flew through the windshield of the Hummer." She washed her hands in the sink. "I called Reese and he arrived in time to pick us up before the police and ambulances arrived."

"The Hummer?" Alfred asked.

"I called the insurance company. They are taking care of it."

"Maybe we should restrain her." Dinah suggested, finishing the scan on the dark woman's body and not wanting to fight her partner again. "If the light didn't work, we will be in trouble when she wakes up. She is okay, Barbara, no broken bones. She just has a pretty bad bruise on her head."

"Maybe she is right," Reese said.

"Yes…" Barbara nodded, if the light didn't work, Helena would surely wake up angry and would try to attack them again. "Dinah, look for the bands to restrain her; Jesse help me remove her coat, I need to clean her cuts. Alfred, I'll need warm water, antiseptics..."

"It's ready, madam," he said, walking toward her with a tray.

"You know that Quinzel will be very pissed when she find out we have Helena," the teen noted kneeling by the cabinet.

"Yes…" Barbara raised her head and looked the gentle butler. "Alfred, please, turn on all the security systems and lock all the doors."

"It's better if I leave," Reese said, putting Helena's coat over a chair, "I'll try to keep an eye on what Quinzel is doing, you will be distracted with her for a few hours."

"Thanks, Reese. I really appreciate it."

"I'll put two patrols around the building, just in case."

"Thanks again."

He smiled and nodded. His relationship with Helena hadn't worked out, but they remained good friends and partners in the fight against crime. He liked to work with these women. The black man exited the room and Alfred followed him.

"Let's get to work." Barbara said to Dinah, pulling on a pair of gloves.

It was like coming back from a deep, dark trip to the bottom of the sea. She felt dizzy and her head was throbbing; maybe it was what had wakened her. She was not good waking up after being drugged or knocked out. Her entire body ached; each limb hurt like hell. This time it seemed she'd had a hard time beating or being beat by someone. She tried to move her body to the side; that was when she realized was tied down. Okay, that was not good, she hated being restrained. She opened her eyes slowly; the lights blinded her and everything was blurry. It took her a few seconds to adjust her eyes. Blinking, she recognized the place; she was in the lab at the Clock Tower. She lifted her head and noticed her wrists and ankles were cuffed.

"What the f…?" She pulled on the metal restraint around her wrist, but it didn't move an inch. She tried her leg, with the same result.

"Barbara!" she shouted, pulling hard on her arm and regretting the movement instantly. It had hurt; she was really sore. "Barbara!" she shouted again.

She yanked her feet and heard the sound of the electric wheelchair. She looked to her right. The older woman and Dinah appeared in the lab.

"What the fuck is going on?" the brunette growled. "Why did you tie me down?"

"How do you feel?" Barbara asked, stopping her chair a few meters from Helena. She was not sure if the flash that she had used to dehypnotize her had worked. She had made a few changes to improve it, but, knowing Quinzel had used a different technique to hypnotize the brunette, the probability of bringing her back to normal were 50-50.

"Not happy, that's for sure." the dark woman realized Barbara had a split lip and a big bruise close to her eye. She frowned. "What happened to you?"

"An accident."

Dinah moved to the opposite side of the lab and put her hand on a dart gun. Helena noted the movement and glared at the blonde; she didn't like this. "What are you doing?" She pulled on the restraints again, angry. She was not exactly a patient person, and more so when she didn't understand what was going on. "What is wrong with you two?"

"What is the last thing you remember?" Barbara asked.

Helena sighed and rested her head back on the medical bed, that was a difficult question for anyone who was just waking up after being knocked out with who knows what. The brunette thought a few seconds in silence; it was hard, she felt confused and dazed. "I don't remember."

"Try, please…."

"I'm not sure…" The first thought that hit her mind -- she was visiting Quinzel at Arkham. Her damn nightmares and then… she was at her place and she felt sad, but everything was blurry and confusing. Many images swam in her head, but nothing made sense. "I was at my place… and I must have fallen asleep, that is the last thing I remember," she said, tugging her hands. She was uncomfortable and her muscles were protesting after being in the same position for so long. "Could you please take these off? They aren't helping so much and my legs are feeling numb."

"Do you remember the car accident?" Dinah asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What car accident?" Helena frowned.

"The Hummer? You crashed the Hummer," Barbara elaborated.

"Are you kidding?" Helena's eyes fixed on green ones, asking for an answer "Why?"

Barbara and Dinah looked at each other without saying a word.

"You are scaring me… Were you with me in the Hummer, Barbara? Is that why you are hurt? Why did I crash?"

"You tried to kill me," the redhead said in a soft voice.

"Come on…"

"At mid day," the older woman interrupted, removing the eyeglasses from her nose, "I was driving the Hummer, you appeared out of nowhere and broke the driver's window. We crashed into a truck and you hit the front window of the SUV, flying outside of the car. You were knocked out and Reese helped me bring you here."

The redhead's serious expression, her steely eyes, convinced Helena that she wasn't kidding. She felt a punch in her gut. That would explain why her body hurt so much. But still it didn't make sense. Why had she tried to kill Barbara?

"Do you remember anything?" The redhead noticed the confusion in her eyes.

"No…" She pulled on the chains angrily, "Let me go!"

Barbara knew how pissed Helena got when she was restrained. She looked at the blonde and nodded at her. They moved next to the brunette and unlocked her.

"You tried to kill me last night, too."

Helena froze. "What?"

"Harley Quinn was controlling your mind again," the older woman explained.

Helena sat up. The confession was like a hard blow to her head; her face turned pale, the room started spinning.

When?

She had seen her at Arkham, but the evil woman had her eyes covered with the protective lenses. She remembered being at her apartment; fighting against her nightmares; feeling as if Quinzel was inside her head, trying to consume her.

The nightmares.

She dreamt of Quinzel doing… things, and she hated it. They nightmares had begun to increase and confuse her. She'd wakened many times in the last months not knowing if she was dreaming or if she was awake. Once she had attacked Barbara, thinking she was Quinzel, another time she had destroyed the bar, she had seen the evil blonde in every corner and in the face of every person.

How could Quinn do that? She was in jail… Could she really have been fucking with Quinzel and just be remembering now? The damn dreams were so real… she could feel each touch, each movement. She could taste and smell everything...

"Helena? Are you all right?"

Barbara's heart clenched when she saw the pain in the blue eyes, which locked on hers, looking for an answer.

"We have a theory…" Barbara reached over to lace her fingers with the brunette's. She was unpleasantly surprised by the depth of pain she experienced when Helena flinched at the contact and pulled her hand back. She kept silence a few seconds before adding: "We think Quinn must have programmed a subconscious order in your mind, when she hypnotized you months ago. Something, we don't know what, triggered it."

"The nightmares were a signal that the program had started," Dinah said, moving a strand of hair nervously behind her ear. "Well, at least, that's what we think."

"It started as common nightmares and began to grow, you couldn't handle them." Barbara said, trying to make feel her better, "It is not your fault. You were dreaming them because Quinzel ordered you to do so. She confused and distracted you enough so that you were unaware of her main goal: controlling you."

"Will I attack you again?" Helena whispered.

"This was deep work. Harley used a different technique. She programmed the dreams, but the problem is that I don't know what she did or what trigged it. We need to repeat the same procedure in order to totally reverse the effect and completely erase her control over you."

"That means I could attack you again; she could control me again."

"I don't think so, we broke the spell, we just need to stop the hypnotic suggestion that creates your nightmares."

"But the possibility exists."

The redhead nodded.

Helena raised her knees and lowered her head on them. She could attack Barbara again and the next time she might not be so lucky. She had already tried twice and not knowing exactly how the hypnotic suggestion was overwhelming her, made her still dangerous for Barbara's safety. She took a deep breath.

"We must go see her," she said moving to hang her legs off the medical table. She winced lightly, her back was sore.

"Who?" the redhead asked.

"Quinn, at Arkham, she must talk."

Dinah met Barbara's eyes.

"What?" The brunette frowned.

"Helena, you helped her escape," the older woman explained softly. "Quinn is free and we don't know where she is hiding. You were lost with her for almost a week."

"Shit…" The room seemed to move around her again and she closed her eyes.

Barbara exchanged a look with Dinah; the blonde understood she wanted talk with Helena alone. She stepped back and silently left the room.

"It was not your fault, Helena. It was Quinzel," Barbara assured her. The young woman suddenly looked so fragile, so vulnerable; she wanted so much to hug her, to be closer, to comfort her, but she held herself back. Helena was avoiding her touch; she certainly understood her partner's refusals for the last few weeks.

"Quinzel said that the dreams are not nightmares…" the dark woman inhaled slowly, feeling a frustrated bitterness assaulting her soul, tasting it in her mouth, "they are memories… we fucked. We really did."

Barbara remembered Quinn's words.

"_How about if I told you she was mine once? That she cried out in pleasure in my arms? We fucked… Did you know it?" _

The redhead bit her lips. Helena wouldn't look her straight in the eyes. The uncertainty, of not knowing if the blonde's words were true or not, was killing her. Harley had told Helena and her, and she was so afraid the words were true.

"_We did it! Do you want to know when? When she was hypnotized a few months ago, when she gave me the discs with the all the Clock Tower information, we fucked on my desk. She is wild, passionate…" Quinn closed her eyes and lifted her head, hugging herself "I still can feel her hands running over my body, her lips on mine… Oh heavens, she is fantastic, an untamed animal in bed. My perfect mate."_

And if it were true that Helena loved her; the poor girl was devastated. Sleeping with the lover of the man that had killed her mother and that had crippled Barbara herself; the woman that had tried to hurt them so many times, successfully… had done it again. She was angry, very angry for what the blonde had done to Helena.

"_We fucked Barbara, and not just once… multiple times, but she doesn't remember it… she thinks they are nightmares… but, no, they are memories. She dropped in yesterday to ask me about the dreams… I told her they weren't dreams… She is remembering what happened…"_

"She's lying, Helena," the older woman said.

"She is not…" the brunette raised her eyes, but still couldn't meet those of the woman she loved. "She never lies… she is mad, insane, cruel… but never lies, you know it."

"She wants this, Helena." Barbara took her hand. Helena tried to pull it back, but the older woman took a firm grip. "Look at me."

"Barbara, I…"

"I said look at me."

"We fucked, dammit!" Helena growled in annoyance and stood up, freeing her hand. Clouded blue eyes locked on green, she was attempting to deal with her own emotions, her feelings of culpability, her worry about what she had done for the last few days and not being able to remember. Quinn had already taken so much from her – from both of them. "We fucked, Barbara! And… and we probably did it again this last time… these last few days while I was under her spell… and I… I can't remember; I just see us fucking and fucking in those fucking dreams!!"

"I don't care!"

The younger woman's disbelieving expression gave Barbara the courage to keep going. She felt her control threaten to shatter at the words, but held herself together.

"I don't care, Helena." Barbara put as much emphasis as she could on each word.

"I fucked with her… don't you understand?" Tears filled blue eyes. The room seemed to tilt on its axis, spinning dizzyingly around her. She swallowed against a bitter taste rising in her throat "I fucked her!"

"We don't know that for sure." Uncertain, but needing to touch the other woman, Barbara's hand gently captured her partner's, and her thumb stroked soft knuckles.

This time Helena flinched, but she didn't refuse the touch; she wanted to believe.

"And if it is true," Barbara kept her eyes on her; Helena must know she was talking with her heart, she pressed her fingers lightly against her, "I don't care… I love who you are, how you are; Harley can never change that, she can never change you, your feelings, your soul. You know me, Hel, you know I'm not lying, we know each other very well, we have grown up together, we have learned together… you were with me in my worst moments and helped me to survive."

"I failed you again…" Helena turned her back to the older woman, releasing her hand softly.

"No, you haven't. Quinzel is using her hypnotic power on you; no one can avoid it, it could just as easily be me. She knows she could never make that you do things against your beliefs; she knows your feelings; your compassion for people; she knows you would never join her in all your senses. She knows how big your heart is." Barbara understood her confusion; Helena's body and soul had been violated; she felt like she was not safe anymore. Barbara would feel the same in her place.

The brunette exhaled noisily. Maybe what most scared her was knowing that Quinn could control her at any moment without her knowledge, and she could hurt people… and Barbara; Quinn wanted her dead; the lunatic was obsessed with them. After a moment's reflection, the dark figure shifted minutely and shook her head. "I don't know… I don't know what to do…"

"Just, don't go. We'll fight this together, as always."

Helena turned, dark brows inching upward in question; Barbara saw the trust, hope and… love in those deep blue eyes. She remembered that look in someone before… Dick. Only Dick had looked at her that way… well, no, in Helena the look was much more intense, brighter.

"We'll do it," she said smiling lightly at the dark woman lightly. "We'll do it."

Quinn had confessed to her that Helena loved her. Now, seeing her after so long and having faced an uncertain seven days, Helena looked so beautiful; her eyes so open to her. She had always thought that the brunette was beautiful, graceful and bright, but never thought of the possibility of loving the young woman.

How? She was younger than her and…

"All right," she said. "Time to sleep, I asked Alfred to prepare your old room. I'd like you to stay."

"Thanks." Helena smiled.

She walked outside the lab and Barbara followed her.


	19. Chapter 19

Thanks to all of you for your commenbts and post. Love it!

The table broke with the hard impact against the wall; followed by a chair.

"Where the fuck is she?" Quinn yelled to the leader of her henchmen.

He was surrounded by five of his men. They were inside Harley's hideout, the mad woman paced furious inside the storage with her hands on her back. The brunette had disappeared more than twelve hours ago; it seemed as if the earth had just swallowed her; there were no traces of her.

Harley hadn't seen her leave after she'd yelled at the brunette that morning.

"We don't know; she…." the man said.

The blonde pickup up a laptop on the desk next to her and threw it against the floor with anger. She needed Helena to finish her plans; she was the important part of it. She must have gone to kill Barbara and had failed, she hadn't returned.

"Why the fuck didn't you follow her? I told you to always follow her!" The woman stopped in front of him, her face inches from his.

"We couldn't… she is too fast. She just left and didn't say a word."

"Where did she go?"

"She just said she was going to finish a job and she left. She took one of the bikes."

She walked to the opposite side of the room, then turned and extended her arm with a pistol in her hand. She shot the man, not giving him time to react. He fell, dead, to the floor with a big hole in his head.

"Oracle, it was the fucking Oracle!" she growled. She turned to a tall dark man to her left.

"You are in charge now, clean up this mess; I want her here, and I want her now. Understand?"

The black man nodded.

A man walked inside the room, he froze when he saw the dead man lying on the floor.

"What do you want?" she shouted him.

"We… just found the bike she used…"

"Where is it?"

"New Gotham high school. Police reported they found a bike abandoned there. It's the same one she took."

"She went for her…" the blonde grumbled, touching her chin, "she tried to kill her and some how Oracle got her… She broke the spell again… I'll kill Oracle, I'll kill her…" she walked outside the room, she needed to work on finding Huntress and killing Oracle. This time, the irritating crime fighter was not going to screw up her plans. She stopped and turned to shout at her henchmen, "I want five of you keeping an eye on the Clock Tower. I want to know who goes in and who goes out. She is there!!"

* * *

The thin woman stood on the balcony. Day was breaking on the city. She was wearing her sweat pants and a light shirt; she loved sleeping in them, they were soft and light. She still felt confused; she couldn't remember anything, just being at her place and then waking up suddenly at the Clock Tower last night. She hadn't liked hearing all of the things she'd done in the week she had been lost: freeing Quinn, stealing weapons, trying to kill Barbara… but the uncertainty of not knowing if Quinn had taken advantage of her again was killing her. She was sure she had done it with her; the dreams were so vivid.

Maybe she had a lot of crazy sex with the bitch and still was on edge. It made her feel so dirty, so angry, so frustrated. It could be a possibility that she had slept with her, besides… she was feeling a bit…itchy.

Crap.

She was having one of those days…

"Helena?" the redhead's voice startled her. The older woman realized it and suppressed a grin; she never caught her off guard. It was the first time. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"Sorry, Barbara, I was thinking." Helena turned her head and sat on the corner of the low brick wall. The redhead looked gorgeous wearing just the light white t-shirt that she loved and her grey shorts.

The redhead noticed a shadow of sadness in the brunette's face, she stopped next to her and looked out over the horizon. "Are you all right?" she asked softly.

"I guess so…" Helena ducked her head; she couldn't avoid the ache in her heart.

"Well, I have my doubts, you never are awake before ten…" Barbara tried to make her talk, knowing how the younger woman would feel after finding out what happened while she was under Quinn's spell.

"You got me." The brunette smiled lightly.

A long silence surrounded them. The former Batgirl turned her head to see her partner. "We'll find her; we'll stop her. We did it once, we will do it again."

"Yeah… If I don't screw it all up again," the dark woman said bitterly.

"You didn't…"

"Barbara…." She sighed.

"Stop blaming yourself, please."

Helena felt so uncomfortable; Barbara made her feel naked, she felt that she could see through her skin and inside her… seeing how disappointing she was as a person, as a friend. She nodded and walked inside the building.

Barbara took a deep breath and exhaled noisily. Helena was running away, as always when she didn't want to face her problems. "Don't go."

Helena stopped and lowered her head. "I need to be alone."

"No, you just need to accept what happened. And that it wasn't your fault. Running away won't fix what happened. Quinn is free, we need you…"

"You want me close because you are afraid that I will fall under her spell," Helena waved her hand on the air "and betray you again."

"You didn't betray me. You've never betrayed me. Quinzel is surely looking for you now. We must face her together."

"I can't, Barbara…." the brunette responded. Her voice sounded defeated, tired. "I can't handle this…. I can't sleep because I'm thinking and thinking… I was with her… and I can't stop thinking about that."

Barbara wheeled toward her, the young woman still had her back turned, ready to leave the balcony, a few steps from the door.

"Stop thinking about that," she said.

"I can't…"

Barbara manuevered her chair and stopped in front of her. She looked for blue eyes, but Helena avoided her.

"Could you please look at me?" she asked.

It took Helena a few moments to get the courage to face her.

"I need you and all your senses focused on this mission," Barbara said "The program triggered in your mind because your mind was so busy with all these feelings of guilt and uncertainty. If you are alert and you don't let these thoughts win, she can't control you."

"You don't know…" Helena felt a knot in her throat, how could she tell Barbara that she loved her more than her life and that she had betrayed that love by sleeping with a mad criminal? It was something personal, something that she felt, something that she couldn't explain. She had dreamed of being with the redhead for so many years, many nights, and now everything had just shattered.

"I don't know? I don't know what?"

Blue eyes, filled with pain, turned away to avoid the intense and questioning look of her partner.

"It's me, Barbara…. I can't handle this…"

"You need to handle it."

"How?" the brunette almost shouted, feeling a great frustration inside her heart. "How am I supposed to handle failing you again? I failed your trust again! How should I handle what she did to me?"

Helena leaned down and put her arms on the arms of Barbara's chair.

The redhead didn't blink.

"You will never understand. You were never under Quinn's spell, you didn't do the evil things I did!! I was under her control. How do I handle my mind being violated, my heart being ravaged and my body being raped?"

"That's exactly how I felt when The Joker shot me," Barbara said.

Stupid. She was stupid. Helena squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the sickness she felt in her throat. She knew how painful it was for Barbara to remember those moments. Maybe they had talked about it just one time and, after that, the topic had been closed to discussion.

"I'm sorry, Barbara, I didn't…"

"I was crippled because I'm Commissioner Gordon's daughter. The Joker had a brilliant plan -- push Batman and Jim Gordon to the edge of sanity; then, he gave my dad an extra nudge to turn him into a raving lunatic." The older woman had a hard time trying to clear a knot in her throat. "Joker shot me, then… undressed me…"

"Barbara, please…" Helena was ashamed; she shook her head. She didn't want her talking about that terrible day.

"He took a few tasteful photos; I was bleeding, nude on the floor…"

"Barbara…." She kneeled in front of her mentor and hugged her waist, burying her face in Barbara's side; she wanted to ask for forgiveness. Remembering that moment was so painful for both of them. She had heard the story once. She cried that day, she had nightmare. In her dreams, Barbara was attacked by him and she was behind a glass window. Helena was useless to help her, frustrated to just stand there watching her friend bleed on the cold floor, listening to the horrible laugh of Joker.

She felt Barbara's finger caressing her hair gently.

"How do you think I felt lying there exposed to him?" the red head mumbled softly. "I remember his laugh, I remember the sound of the camera every time he took a picture. It was like a hammer in my ears. How do you think I felt, feeling myself dying slowly, listening to his laugh surrounding me? I survived all that and I'm still here."

She took the brunette's face between her hands; she noticed her young protégé's eyes were moist. "Don't tell me I can't understand this." She whispered. "I understand you very well, I understand everything."

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… It's just that… I feel so dirty."

"I understand… I know how you feel… But you need to move on… or she will win. Don't leave, I need you here with us. We must stay together. Quinzel is surely angry because you are free from her spell; she will look for you, she will look for us." Barbara couldn't hold herself back, she leaned to kiss the younger woman softly on her forehead. "Don't go. Stay."

The kiss sent an electric charge coursing through her body. She half opened her mouth and breathed her scent, smelling the younger woman's fruity shampoo. She kissed, then, her eyebrow not just once, but several times, she moved slowly to the other eyebrow and kissed her again. Barbara felt many emotions flowing inside her. She didn't want to lose Helena, she wanted to protect her and keep her far from Harley's madness.

Helena could hear her heart pounding harder inside her chest. Barbara's soft caresses were combusting her body; making her feel loved. In her keyed up state, it was not a good thing. It required every ounce of control she could summon to prevent her eyes from morphing as she was overwhelmed by her feelings.

Barbara pulled her up and hugged her harder. Helena reciprocated the contact, burying her face in that long red hair. The older woman's smell was heaven, it was safety, it was home. She wanted to stay there forever.

She felt the redhead's hand caressing her hair; her purr was immediate; she couldn't control it. It was a natural reaction when she felt loved, happy and content. It was hard to just be still there, without touching, without confessing the depth of her love.

Helena swallowed, she was feeling excited; she needed to control herself. Barbara was just trying to support her. They remained still, holding each other for long moments. She moved back, reluctantly, a few inches. She would stay there forever; she kissed the redhead's jaw; she kept her lips pressed against her maybe a few seconds longer than necessary, but in that moment she didn't care. She was completely still, feeling the soft skin of Barbara's face on her lips; she was looking at her with an uncertain look.

"Thanks…" she mumbled.

"Will you stay?"

Helena nodded; she couldn't say no; It was stronger than her; she would do anything for her: cut a piece of rainbow for her; keep the song of a bird in a box, make a road of roses. And Barbara was right, they needed to be together.

"Good." A big smile took over the redhead's face. She felt much better knowing Helena was close. Quinzel was angry now and looking for her revenge, looking for an opportunity to attack again. They needed to be prepared for her next movement. She took the brunette's hand and squeezed it lightly. "Well… I now I need a good cup of coffee."

"And I need a nap, I couldn't sleep all night."

"Good idea, I think I'll follow you after my coffee." Barbara wheeled inside the Clock Tower.

"How can you sleep after a cup of coffee?" Helena followed her.

"How can you sleep until noon?"

"Don't ask me to think at six am… My mind is still in bed at this hour."

"See? You need coffee."

"Nah… I need a nap."

* * *

She fell asleep very fast, almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. The conversation with Barbara helped calm her down a bit; she was so stressed, so guilty, so uncertain. Finally, after so many days, weeks, she was able to rest peacefully.

Drowsy, she checked the clock on the night table, almost noon. She didn't care, it was Sunday and she felt safe at home.

Her world had turned upside down once more; Quinzel had screwed up her life and her mind again, making her, once again, hurt the person she most loved in her crazy obsession with Barbara. Helena had figured that she could go out and lose herself in a bottle of good whiskey or tequila.

Just her and her guilt.

But the redhead's presence, her scent, her aura, her words had soothed her, helped her to find peace in her soul. To find peace with herself. Barbara was marvelous, an angel, she always found the way to bring her back to the world of living people, literally and metaphorically speaking.

She'd died so many times, when her mother was killed, when Quinzel had hypnotized her the first time… now… She had saved her life many times in many ways in many senses, that it was impossible not to love her.

A warm hand came to rest lightly on her back. Helena almost arched into the gentle contact.

"Barbara?" Helena asked sleepily, turning her head.

Soft lips pressed against hers. She moved her had back, surprised.

"Shh… I missed you…" Thin fingers caressed her hair.

"Quinn?"

* * *

Barbara stared at the ceiling. She had tried to sleep, but for some reason she was really awake. Usually she didn't need to count sheep or drink warm milk to fall into Morpheus arm's. She felt exhausted, tired… and at the same time excited, happy, content. Helena was home; she had found her… well, technically Helena had found her.

She adjusted her position on her bed and looked at the clock on her night table. Noon. She couldn't remember the last time that she couldn't sleep because of excitement in her heart; she felt it pounding hard, so hard that she thought that if someone was in the same room, they'd hear it beating.

Remembering, now, she always felt this joy when Helena was close. She liked having her close. She could be grumpy, annoying… but at the same time she was funny and her sarcastic comments were always smart. She was a challenge sometimes. Helena had a fast and agile mind.

She remembered when she'd checked the brunette and had been unable to to suppress the impulse to touch her, feel her skin under her hands; she had touched her slender hands. They were small, her fingers thin; her nails always well manicured. She closed her eyes; she had caressed the lines of her face, her mouth, her small nose; she liked her nose, it was cute.

Helena loved her.

That confession had been stuck in her mind since Quinn had told her. It replayed in her mind constantly.

The image of Helena kissing Quinzel also filled her mind; it made her angry. That was something she wanted to forget. It was as if a vise was squeezing her heart. It hurt.

It was definitely impossible to sleep.

She sat on the bed and stretched her hand to transfer herself to the wheelchair. She took her robe and slipped it on, tying it with an easy knot in the front. Years of practice made it easy to move to her electronic chair that. Helena didn't like it so much, she said it was too big, but at the same time she knew it made it easier for her to move.

She wheeled outside her room and, without thinking twice, she went to check on her young partner, who was resting in her old room. She wanted know that she was okay. With Quinn around, she wanted to be sure everything was okay. She stopped at the door and knocked softly. Helena was a heavy sleeper, so if she opened the door and she was sleeping, she would never notice it.

She heard a soft whimper. Without pause, she opened the door slowly.

Helena was agitated, with her arms extended at her sides; she was breathing quickly. Her eyes were open, her gaze was glassy and lost.

Damn!

Another nightmare! She wheeled to the bed and turned on the lights, taking Helena's face in her hands.

"Helena, wake up!!"

The brunette didn't answer.

Barbara clapped her cheeks, unsuccessfully trying to wake her. "Dammit… Helena, listen to my voice, you are dreaming, I need you to wake up."

The young woman moaned. Barbara could see the anguish in her face. She needed to wake her up.

"I'm sorry." Barbara lifted her arm and slapped her, hard.

It seemed to work because Helena sat up immediately, growling. She realized, then, that she had been dreaming again.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Quinzel still was in her dreams. She was terribly aroused, excited. The fucking bitch was still in control.

"Are you okay?" Barbara tried to hold her hand, but the dark haired woman pulled her arm back and covered her head with her hands. "Hel, you are home, you are safe."

"No… I'm not safe… neither are you…." The brunette stood up and looked for her clothes. Her body was on fire; she hated these dreams.

"Helena, wait."

"I can't stay here."

"You can't go."

"I must go!" She turned and glared at the redhead with burning cat eyes. "She is still in my head! She can control me again and I can kill you! I'm not going to do that." She squeezed her fists into balls, how could she explain to the older woman that she felt so… hot? Still on the edge from the erotic dream she'd just had with Quinn, and, at the same time, so ashamed of it.

"We will stop this together!" Barbara wheeled toward her.

"Sorry, I must go." She removed her t-shirt and put on a white shirt.

"No, you must stay!"

"Forget it."

"Helena…"

"I'm moving out. Period." The brunette took her sweat pants and easily slid them on in a fast movement.

"I'm working now on finding out how Quinn is doing this to you, I just need time. It will be worse if you leave."

"Sorry, Barbara, I can't stay." The soft hiss of the wheels on the chair alerted her that Barbara was right behind her.

"I'm not going to let you go!"

The brunette smirked. "Yeah? Watch me."

Barbara grabbed her wrist when she tried to walk toward the door.

"What the…?" the brunette grumbled and pulled, annoyed, trying to free her hand. Barbara then held Helena down in an arm lock and the dark haired woman growled in pain. She stumbled and fell on her knees in front of the older woman. "Shit! My hand!"

"I'm not going to lose you," Barbara said. "Not again."

"Hey… that hurts." Helena winced. Damn. She was strong

Barbara pulled the younger woman against her. Helena was forced to look up, only to find Barbara regarding her, an expression of love and understanding; their faces inches away. They faced each other in a deep silence. She felt the redhead releasing the grip on her hand slowly.

"Please, Helena." Barbara said with a gentle voice. "Please don't go. I need you here, I need you close."

Helena shivered when slender fingers touched her cheek. The brunette swallowed around something in her throat, she put her hands on the arms of the wheelchair to hold herself. At that close range, she could heard the beat of Barbara's heart, it was hard and fast; faster and harder than hers. She watched, carefully, those loved features of her face, the clear green filling her eyes so full with love; she could smell her scent; it was like a magic spell that trapped her. Barbara's chest was so close to her that it seemed to be rising under her robe. A lack of oxygen was making it hard to think straight. Her vision fixed on red lips in front of her.

Caught in the surreal vision of the woman she loved so much and the deepest need to feel loved, Helena leaned forward and pressed her lips softly against Barbara's. Slowly, she kissed the heavenly mouth, wanting to make known her eternal love for her. She felt she was dreaming again, her heart wanted explode in joy.

Barbara was overwhelmed by the soft caress; Helena's kiss was so tender, her lips so soft.

Oh God. Helena really loved her.

Helena kept the slow pace of her kiss, nibbling gently, trembling in pleasure, totally lost in her.

Barbara inhaled and moved back slightly, her eyes locked on Helena´s. The young woman was breathing heavily, eyes closed. She watched them open slowly; blue eyes were filled with so much love and devotion; seeking the same love she was offering.

Many thoughts crashed in her mind, she remembered the sharp pain she'd felt when she'd seen her kissing Quinn, the overwhelming need to kiss her more last night when they had been on the balcony; the need to touch her when she was lying unconscious a few weeks ago; to feel her skin on her finger tips.

The brunette blinked. She had kissed her. Crap. What the fuck had she done?


	20. Chapter 20

"I'm sorry…" She moved back slightly, lowering her head.

"Helena…" Barbara whispered, stopping her movement as she cupped her cheek in long, elegant fingers.

"I'm sorry… I was…"

Barbara's grabbed her chin and forced her to look her. Blue eyes were filled with sorrow, with love… a love she'd never seen in any of her lovers before.

She leaned in and pressed her lips slowly against Helena's; she moved slowly around red, warm lips.

The brunette, surprised, just kept still. It was when she felt the shy touch of her tongue against the corner of her mouth. It was electric, she moaned and parted her lips slightly under the heavenly contact and gripped the arms of the chair harder. Barbara didn't hesitate and moved inside her. Helena was numb, after so many years of fantasies, she was kissing her.

Barbara's first strokes were slow, taunting, tasting; Helena swallowed a growl, her muscles humming, feeling a restless fire growing inside her. She moved her tongue and caressed Barbara's shyly.

Barbara couldn't keep hiding her feelings and seeing Helena's love for her had been just too much. She'd moved slowly, trying to remain in control and recognize, feel every inch of her young partner, but when Helena's tongue had touched hers, it was as if rockets had exploded in her head. She was bewitched for her, she surrendered to her feelings and emotion. She deepened the kiss, wrapping her arms around the young woman's neck.

Helena kissed her back, she moved slowly and lifted her legs, her knees burying deep in the padding of the chair on each side of the redhead's thighs. She wrapped her arms around her. Both forgot the world surrounding them, lost in a deep, long kiss.

Barbara just moved her hands on the brunette's back, caressing. The unmistakable soft vibration her fingers began to detect was Helena's purr. She couldn't suppress a light laugh, knowing she always did it when she was happy, when she felt loved, since she was a child. Glassy blue eyes opened and looked at her-

"You are purring…" Barbara mumbled, tracing her face with her index finger.

"Oh… sorry…"

"Don't."Barbara's index finger stopped on Helena's mouth. "It's very sexy." She leaned in to give the younger woman soft kisses, slowly, taking her time, marvelling at the feeling of Helena's body reacting to every touch. She pulled the brunette against her and kissed her neck, she caressing the sides of her face; she loved the feeling of that soft skin under her fingers. She discovered how long she had wanted touch her, be this close to her. Her tongue shyly tasted her earlobe.

"God…" Helena felt like she was drowning. She couldn't believe Barbara was kissing her. Barbara's traced her ear, slowly, up and down; the sensation of firm breasts against her, were fuel. She couldn't suppress a hard growl in her chest. Her clit pulsed harder against her pants, her hips began to rock against the redhead's lap.

The movement was not imperceptible to the older woman and it made her heart rate increase. She felt Helena's lips searching for hers and her hands moved to clasp unruly dark hair in her fingers. It 

was incredible how the world seemed to twist around her, how time seemed to stop and all the sounds disappeared. There was just her and Helena.

"Hey, anybody here?" Dinah appeared, suddenly, at the door, Barbara hadn't closed it in her hurry to wake the brunette. She saw her two friends locked in a deep kiss. She blushed and stepped back. "Uhh… I'm sorry."

Helena jumped back immediately and turned her back to her, taking her hand to her mouth. Barbara blushed furiously.

"It's okay, Dinah, did something happen?" she asked, clearing her throat and arranging her robe.

"Uh… sorry, Dick's here…."

Helena's head snapped to the blonde.

"Oh… I forgot, I invited him to lunch," Barbara explained.

"I better call for takeout…" Dinah mumbled, shyly, backing out of the room. "Chinese?"

The redhead nodded. A heavy silence engulfed on the room. Helena looked at her mentor; she was so beautiful. She still felt her body humming with excitement. She felt so wonderful under her fingers, her mouth was heavenly. She remained where she was standing.. and now? She didn't know what to say, if she should move or not. She'd never felt this stupid with any other person. She was supposed to exude confidence, not act like a dumb donkey. Damn kid and damn Dick, they always showed up at the most unexpected and inopportune moments.

"Helena?" Barbara´s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

She found green eyes regarding her and a gentle smile. It was like a magnet, she walked toward her. It was like walking on air. Barbara took her hand, brushing the back of her palm with her thumb. The brunette leaned in slowly and traced Barbara's mouth with her lips, she didn't want to let go of the moment.

Barbara kissed her back, the touch was so gentle and so warm. The younger woman melted and straddled the older woman's hips again. The redhead held her tightly as they deepened the kiss. Again, she felt the muscles of her young partner trembling under her touch. Helena was making magic on her mouth, she had never had been kissed like this before. She remembered she needed to breathe and she held the brunette's head in her hands and moved back few inches, resting their forehead together. Both breathed heavily.

"We must talk..." Barbara mumbled.

"Okay." Helena lowered her head and brushed her lips against her neck, "Do you want me to kick Dick and Dinah out?"

"No…" Barbara laughed lightly, pulling the brunette head up again to get her attention. Her eyes were golden, glassy with pleasure. "I think we must talk later."

Helena sighed and buried her head in the redhead's neck, hugging her. She wanted to stay there forever, just wrapping her arms around the woman she loved. She was in the middle of her biggest dream. "Can't we just stay here?"

Barbara brushed dark hair and kissed it, she inhaled and smelled a hint of orange. "I would love to... but we can't."

"Mmmm." The young woman snuggled on her shoulder.

The older woman smiled and took a deep breath, it felt so good. She was reluctant to move, but Dinah and Dick were downstairs. For a moment, the idea of kicking them out didn't seem so bad. She patted her partner's back, "Come on, Hel, we have things to do."

Growling, Helena moved back and fixed her puppy eyes on green ones, trying again to convince her to stay.

Barbara couldn't suppress a smile and took Helena's chin in her fingers. She gave her a quick kiss on her lips. "I'll see you downstairs."

Helena nodded and stood up lazily. Well, she had tried. She didn't want move, but Barbara was right.

"Hurry up." Barbara smiled gently and wheeled toward the door.

Helena, in the living room, gazed often to the Delphi downstairs. Barbara had been working with Dick at the Delphi for over two hours. She couldn't focus on anything, she heard her laughs. She always laughed so much with him. She didn't like Dick so much. And much less since Barbara had told her that they had been lovers.

They had been together after she was shot, but it seemed the relationship had failed. However, he always returned... He still loved Barbara, Helena knew it, and it pissed her off.

She remembered the kiss and smiled to herself, feeling warm. It had been so fast. She'd been talking with Barbara, she'd needed to keep far from her because she was not in control of her dreams and, then, suddenly, she was lost in green eyes and in the next instant she was kissing her… everything was lights and stars exploding around her until… until Dinah had interrupted them.

The teen entered the living room and jumped next to her on the couch. She hit Helena playfully in her ribs.

"You kissed her!"

"What?" Helena frowned, "We… we were just hugging…"

"Tell me, what happened,"

"I didn't kiss her…"

"Sure…" Dinah lifted her eyebrows and twisted her mouth; Helena definitely turned dumb talking about love.

Dark brows knit. "What?"

"Does she love you? Did she tell you?"

Blue eyes blinked "No… Well… she said we will talk later."

"Oh…" Dinah sat on her knees and clapped. "And how was it?"

"Shhh…" The brunette waved her hands "She can hear you. How was it what?"

"Kissing Barbara, how was it?"

Helena felt her face turn red, she moved uncomfortably. She wasn't used to talking about this and less so with a teenager.

"So you really kissed her!" Dinah laughed.

"Okay, okay I did it, now lower your voice."

"Okaaaayyyy… how was it?"

Helena shook her head, this was not going to be easy. "Dinah, have you ever kissed someone you have loved for years?""

"I'm only seventeen, how could I? I've never loved anyone and certainly not for so long.."

"Oh damn."

"Is she good?"

"Dinah!"

The teen glared at her.

Helena shook her head and she couldn't suppress a big smile. "Fantastic…" she mumbled.

"Excellent! And?"

"And that's all. I'm not telling you anything else."

The teen covered her head with her hands.

Suddenly, the Delphi alarms filled the place. Both women stood up and ran downstairs, where Dick and Barbara worked. Both stood behind the redhead.

"What's going on?" the teen asked.

"Quinzel," Dick offered.

"Where?" Helena's eyes turned feral in a second, she leaned to look the screen.

"In the outskirts of New Gotham, a storage facility."

"Let's go," Dinah said running to the elevator.

"I'll wait for you downstairs," Dick replied, following her.

"Wait…" Barbara interrupted. "Don't forget the contact lenses to protect your eyes."

"Come with me." Dinah said to Dick and moved to the lab.

Helena turned to follow them, but Barbara held her arm. "You are not going."

"Why not?" Helena growled.

Barbara pressed her lips. "You know why."

"I must go, I have to trap that bitch:" the brunette said, annoyed.

"It's dangerous."

"Please, Barbara! I must stop her! She is screwing with my mind and I'm tired of it!"

"Helena, we don't yet know how deep her hypnosis is. I still have to reverse the effects that make you have those nightmares." Barbara's hand moved down her arm and clasped her fingers. She caressed her palm with her thumb, tracing circles on it. The movement had the effect she wanted, she felt the brunette relax.

The young woman looked at their hands and clasped the redhead's fingers "I'm fine, Barbara."

"You just had a nightmare a few hours ago... You were completely out of it."

"You know I must go."

The redhead looked at her young partner. She nodded and lowered her head. "Be careful. She will be angry because she lost you, and she will try to trap you again... or kill you."

The brunette leaned in and gave her a tender kiss on her fingers. "I'll be fine, I promise."

The older woman nodded and watched her disappear behind the elevator doors, feeling uncertainty and apprehension in her chest.

* * *

The team arrived at the storage facility in time to stop a truck that was pulling out of the place. Nightwing and Dinah stopped the vehicle and easily knocked out the thugs. Helena moved inside the building, looking for Quinzel, she needed to find her, make her confess. She took out three more men inside. To Helena's dismay, Quinn was not there; she'd just sent a group of lackeys.

The brunette was disappointed, she couldn't hide her feelings in the tone of her voice. "She is not here, Oracle."

:We'll find her, don't worry.: The redhead was relieved by the information. She still thought it was not a good time for Helena to face her.

"Yeah." She walked out of the building where Dinah and Nightwing were tying up the men from the truck.

"Huntress, they're escaping," Dinah shouted, pointing upstairs. She saw some men running upthe stairs of the building.

"They are moving to the rooftop." Huntress looked up, she grinned at the blonde. "We'll have some fun. You stay here, okay?"

Dinah grinned and nodded. She saw Huntress reach the top of the building with a simple jump.

"I hate when she does that." Nightwing said, taking a batarang from his waist.

"It's pretty cool."

"She loves to play alone all the time." He aimed the batarang up and shot.

"Well, working with her day by day, you learn to live with it."

He pulled the metal wire to check it was in place. "I don't think I could do it." He pressed a button and the wire retracted, pulling him up.

He arrived at the time, the five men that were trying to escape reached the rooftop.

"Welcome to the party," the brunette greeted.

"You didn't invite me," Dick protested.

"I'm talking with them," she pointed the thugs.

The men charged at them. Huntress ducked and hit the first man in his gut with her fist while Nightwing fought against two others. The battle was short and easy. They were not a big deal.

Dick tied their hands back with some wire he found in a corner. He was finishing with the last man when, suddenly, Huntress grabbed one of the men by his lapel and lifted him off the rooftop.

"Where is she?" she asked to the man. "I'm don't have much patience tonight."

"I don't know." He gasped.

Huntress pulled him to the cornice of the rooftop.

"What are you doing?" Dick, kneeling on the roof, stared at her.

She hit the thug hard in his face and he fell to the roof.

"Huntress, stop!" Dick shouted, standing up.

She didn't listen to him, but grabbed Harley's lackey by his ankle and hung him over the edge of the building.

"All right," she growled. "You talk or you die."

"No, you can't..." the man gasped, scared. The building was almost six stories high.

"Wanna try me? If you don't talk, another of your partners will do it... I don't care how many of you have to fall before one of you is convinced that I'm serious."

"No... no, please no, she will kill me..." he said.

"Huntress! Stop this now!" Nightwing walked toward her.

"It's your choice, she kills you or I kill you."

"I can't talk... Please, she will kill me."

She opened her hand and the man fell, yelling. His terrified screams echoed through the air.

"No!" Nightwing shouted.

Huntress didn't show any emotion, she just turned and looked at the other guys tied up on the rooftop. "All right, who's next?"

"Huntress, how could you?" Dick faced her, his fists balled. He couldn't believe she had done this.

"It's none of your business, stay away." She glared at him, walking toward one of the men.

He grabbed her by her coat. "I'm not going to let you do this again."

She pushed him back and pointed at him with her index finger. "Don't you dare touch me again." She leaned down and grabbed another thug by his lapel. "Okay, we can try you now."

"We must drive the trucks to the old New Gotham Road, close to the swamps. That's all," the man cried, scared. "I swear it! She just paid us to leave the trucks there. Please don't kill me."

"I don't believe you."

"Please, please..." the man begged.

:He could be telling the truth.: Oracle's voice said over the mic :Harley surely took precautions to avoid being caught again. And more so since she know you are with us again.:

"I think so, too." She put him down again. "Good boy." She turned to see Nightwing and smiled at him. "See? I told you this always works."

He couldn't contain his anger.. "You killed a man."

"Hey easy," she frowned, lifting her head to see him. He was too close and he was pretty tall. "I don't want to kick your ass. He is okay."

:Huntress: Oracle said through the mic :stop playing.:

"She is not playing, Oracle, " Nightwing yelled, "She killed him; he threw him off the building. He is dead."

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Dinah, it's okay!" she shouted.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the man that had fallen was thrown on the rooftop and hit the concrete ground. Nightwing looked at him in astonishment. He heard noises and raised his head. Climbing up the stairway was Dinah. She jumped onto the roof, brushing off her hands.

"What the..?" Dick asked confused.

"He peed in his pants. Yech."

"Haven't you ever heard about good vigilante, bad vigilante?" Huntress grabbed the man on the floor and dragged him toward his partners

"She is the bad vigilante and I'm the good vigilante," the teen explained, smiling.

"I don't understand."

"She throws them off the rooftops and I always catch them below," the blonde explained, while Huntress tied the man with the others.

"Always works." Huntress grinned, she took her hand to her ear, "Okay Oracle, what do we know?"

:I heard it, I'm doing some research now If she asked them to leave the trucks on that road, it could be because her hideout is close to there. Try to check for any evidence before returning.:

"All right, let's move," the brunette said.


	21. Chapter 21

She landed smoothly on a rooftop close to Clock Tower. Dick and Dinah were probably still on their way back to the Clock Tower after leaving the thugs tied up and ready to be picked up by the police. She preferred the fresh air to the air conditioner of the Hummer. She looked at the tall building; it looked beautiful at night. It was the tallest building at the city. Tonight, it looked even more beautiful, well, everything seemed to be more beautiful; she closed her eyes and breathed deeply, she had kissed Barbara and Barbara had kissed her back.

She wanted to be close to her again, feel her lips against hers again, her warm breath against her.

"Well, well, my lost pet is here."

Blue eyes changed to feral, Helena turned.

"Quinn..."

The insane woman was there, standing a few meters behind her with her arms crossed over her chest, and leaning on the closest brick wall. She was wearing her typical red costume, fit to her skin. She was stunning, an evil beauty.. She couldn't fathom how so much evil could be in such a small woman.

"I have been worried about you for the last two days, you just left...and left me alone." Harley put her hand over her chest feigning hurt as she walked toward her. "Worried about you... and you were off having fun. Why are you so inconsiderate to me?."

Helena squeezed her fists, feeling her blood boil.

"You look damn sexy in that outfit, Huntress." Harley's eyes moved up and down the brunette's body. She was wearing her usual leather pants and a t-shirt under her long coat. "I would love to fuck you right now, right here."

"Thanks, but I'll pass..."

"You didn't say that the last time we made love. Do you remember it?" Quinn laughed, cocking her head, her mad eyes fixed on the brunette, drilling down to her soul. "I remember it pretty well... your smell." She licked her lips. "Your taste..."

The brunette never thought she could feel this much hate for someone. Her vision was red with pain and anger. Quinn seemed know she was ready to pounce, because a second before she could move, the blonde extended her arm and pointed a gun at her.

"Tsk, tsk, stay down." She lifted her right eye brow in amusement. "I'm not stupid, Huntress. Let me ask you something, I guess hypnosis will not work now, no?"

Helena nodded smirking.

"Damn." Quinn exhaled. "The damn contact lenses again. I must kill Barbara Gordon."

"Don't you dare..." The brunette felt her muscles tense when she heard the name of the woman she loved, on the mad woman's lips.

"Why are you so annoyed? I don't understand." Quinn grinned, circling her "You enjoyed every minute we shared, and you remember them pretty well... What's your problem, Huntress? Are you still following Barbara Gordon around like a love sick puppy?"

Golden eyes turned bright in a threatening way. She clenched her teeth.

"Do you think she loves you just because she kissed you?"

This time, Huntress couldn't hide her surprise. How did she know about that?

"Helena, she doesn't love you, she just..." Quinn laughed, waving her hand, "she just has needs as all of us do, sometimes. She fucks someone one day and forget them the next day. Dick is here, they were lovers. Do you think she would trade him for you? He came for her."

Huntress took a step toward her, Harley pointed at her again with the gun.

"Ah, ah..." she grinned. "Easy my pet. Barbara has blinded you. You are just an object that she uses to satisfy her desires... You are nothing to her. She loves him. We must be together, we belong to each other."

"I'm not used to dating psycho bitches."

"Do you think I am lying? Okay, tell me..." She stood up in front of her, still threatening her with the gun, "Did she say, 'I love you' after it?"

The brunette remained silent, looking for the best moment to jump on the lunatic and rip her head off.

"Did she tell you she loves you?"

"It's none of your business."

"No, she didn't tell you," Quinzel smirked, "she doesn't love you; she just wanted to have some fun with you. A kiss is nothing, Huntress. My poor kitten, sick in love with a woman that is, right at this moment, probably fucking with her real lover."

Huntress kicked her hand with a fast movement. The pistol hit the brick wall. She squeezed the Harley's throat with her hands and slammed her back against a brick wall. The blonde coughed.

"The game is over, Quinn," she growled at her.

"My dear Huntress, always so impulsive." Harley moved her hands and put them over Huntress' arms. She began to rub slowly.

What was she doing? Helena felt a prick on her arm. Puzzled blue eyes looked at her. Quinzel laughed and lifted her hand showing her a small pin on a ring in her finger.

"I'm not stupid, my dear."

The dark woman felt an instant heaviness invading her body. Her brain was almost immediately dizzy. She tried to press her fingers hard against the throat of her hated enemy, but her muscles were numb, her knees couldn't support her weight and she fell heavily to the ground.

"It's a remarkably fast drug," Quinzel said, looking at the ring on her finger. "I couldn't risk my life with you."

Huntress struggled to get back to her feet, but everything around her was surreal. She stumbled and fell back to the ground. The forms moved in many shapes and she felt like she was floating in the air. Her body refused to move. She saw Quinzel's black boots in front of her. The blonde kneeled and brushed her hair. She felt a cold shiver, she didn't want her to touch her. She growled, annoyed.

"She just is playing with you, Huntress," she heard Harley's voice whispering in her ear. The blonde's hand caressed her belly, her body reacted to the touch with a soft tremble. "She will never give you what you want or need..."

Quinzel's lips were on her neck. The brunette couldn't avoid feel a warm feeling in her body.

"I can give to you all the pleasure you need... I can touch you as no one else can." Quinzel's hand slipped under her tank and cupped her breast, squeezing.

Helena gasped, she half opened her eyes and found evil blue ones fixed on her. Her body was humming in excitement. She felt Quinzel's lips on hers. He mouth was demanding, kissing her hard and rough. Their tongues danced and stroked against each other. The kiss deepened and drew on, until eventually, inevitably… Helena wanted her.

Quinzel lowered her head and yanked the tee up and out of the way before her mouth trapped a soft, firm flesh.

Helena felt her desire growing and, in her drugged state, the feelings were even stronger. She felt every touch as if she was hypersensitized. She felt the heat growing between her legs… she needed to be touched. As if Quinzel read her mind, she felt the blonde's hand cupping the juncture between her thighs with a rough movement. The blonde thrust once and the young woman growled.

"You like this... I know you like this..." The blonde lifted her head and licked her cheek slowly. "I wanna fuck you now. You are mine, Huntress."

Keeping her eyes open was impossible, Huntress felt herself slipping even as she felt another hard trust against her...

* * *

The brunette jerked up with an abrupt movement. Where was she? She blinked her eyes and the room came into focus, the curtain was half opened, lighting the room with the morning sunshine. She became aware that she was in Barbara's bedroom. She felt her hands keeping a grip on soft sheets, she lowered her head. She was under the warm covers of the redhead's bed.

What was she doing there?

The last...

The events of the last hours struck in her head like a cold shower.

Fuck...

She covered her head with her hands. What she had done?

Quinzel had again taken control of her thoughts, her mind, her feelings. She hated this, she couldn't keep dealing with this. She was dangerous. At any moment, the evil woman could take control of her and she could hurt Barbara, or worse, kill her. She pushed off the blankets stood up, it was cold. She was just wearing her underwear and a thin tank top. She rubbed her arms and looked for her clothes.

The bathroom door opened and she lifted her head.

Barbara.

"Helena." She was drying her hair with a white towel and smiled at her, "You are awake." She threw the towel on a small bench and wheeled toward her immediately. "How do you feel?"

The young woman felt so ashamed, she avoided looking her. "I'm fine, thanks. Where are my clothes?"

"Hey easy." Barbara said, touching her arm.

The fingers on her skin were like an iron rod, she felt so dirty. She tried to brush off her reaction to the touch by walking toward the single couch that was at the corner of the room.

"I'm cold… where is my shirt?"

The redhead knew immediately that something was wrong. She was avoiding her look, her touch. She followed the brunette and stopped the wheelchair in front of her. Helena picked up her shirt, but when she turned, she found intense green eyes staring at her.

Fuck.

She was blocking her way.

"Sit down," Barbara said.

"Barbara I…"

"Sit." Barbara's voice was steely and left no room for negotiation.

Helena was stronger, faster, agile, but Barbara could defeat her so easily with a single word. She exhaled and let herself fall on the couch, knowing she was cornered. She rested her elbow on the arm and looked at the other side of the room. Se didn't have the courage to look Barbara in the eye. She loved her more than her own life, but every time she was with Quinn, she lost control of her emotions, of her soul. She didn't deserve her… and, besides, as Harley had said, she'd never told her she loved her, maybe it had just been a moment.

"What happened?" Barbara asked.

Helena shifted uncomfortably in her place. This was not going to be an easy talk.

"I don't remember," she mumbled.

"You told me that you would tell me everything, that you would never lie to me again, that you trust me."

Double fuck. Helena rubbed her forehead.

The long silence was clear to the redhead, a signal that it had happened again. Her mind had been lost in another weird dream. She moved her hand to touch the brunette's hand. She felt it flinch.

"Barbara, I can't." the young woman said, retracting her hand. She scrunched down in the couch a bit more, trying to escape.

The dreams were still there, Barbara knew she needed to stop them. They were affecting her young partner so much. She reached out and held Helena's hand in her own, she was not going to let her go.

"Barbara…" the young woman moved uncomfortably. She fixed her eyes on her hands. Barbara could clearly see the pain and sadness in her eyes.

"Dick and Dinah found you unconscious on top of a building," Barbara began in a soft voice, caressing her back hand with her thumb. "I saw your signal unmoving on the screen. I called you. You didn't answer and I thought something was wrong. What happened?"

The thin brunette bit her lips, still refusing to meet her eyes.

"Look at me," the older woman requested gently, "Please..."

Helena opened her mouth to say something, but she couldn't find the words. It was hard to talk about this.

"You told me you trusted me. Trust me, please... look at me."

Her young partner closed her eyes a brief second. It was hard to deny Barbara's requests. Helena inhaled deeply before turning her head and finding lovely green eyes regarding her. Her gaze flowed over Barbara's face, her lovely features, her creamy skin, her finely sculpted nose, red lips and a sharp chin. She loved her so much, so much… and she had given herself to that crazy bitch again.

"It was another nightmare, right?"

Helena's eyes turned moist, she swallowed with some difficulty.

"I don't think so…" she said with a barely audible whisper

"What happened?"

The brunette closed her eyes; a tear slid down her face.

"Helena?" Barbara cupped her face with her right palm, the brunette tried to move it back, but the older woman followed her movement, "Please, tell me. We must stop this, but I need you to tell me."

Blue eyes, filled with tears, stared at her helplessly. She drank in the sight of the Barbara, she had failed her again. "…She took me again…"

Barbara felt her heart clench, her heart broke into thousands of pieces. "It was a dream…"

"No, no…" She shook her head.

"It was, Helena, she is trying to confuse you."

"She knew I had kissed you… she… drugged me… she kissed me… and, and I could only think about kissing her and wanting her to touch me..." the brunette sobbed. "I'm such an ass …"

Barbara pulled her against her and wrapped her arms around the delicate body. The young woman sat on her lap and hugged her, burying her face in her neck as she cried.

"No, Helena, it's not true." Barbara felt a tear slip down her cheek. "It was a dream. She is playing with your mind." She kissed her forehead. "I swear I checked you when Dick brought you here. Your blood didn't have any trace of drugs, you just fainted."

"No."

"I would never lie to you, you were dreaming." She turned her head slightly to press a soft kiss to Helena's head. "It was a dream."

"I'm a shit…"

"No, you are not… she is using you. Please don't think that."

"I want it to stop." Helena hugged her harder and cuddled against her, as she had done many times with her mom as a child when she'd felt scared or afraid. Barbara's warm embrace was like being in a cocoon, where no one could touch or hurt her. It was just Barbara and herself…. the world, the pain, nothing else existed.

"We will stop it, I promise." She turned towards Helena's head and kissed her hair, she brushed her unruly bangs back and her lips brushed against her temple. Butterfly kisses covered the soft skin above the brunette's eyes. Barbara inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with the wild aroma of her partner. She traced dark eyebrows with her fingertip.

The brunette stirred under her caress. The redhead's fingers moved slowly toward the brunettes chin, she painted it with her index finger, then moved toward those full red lips, caressing them. Helena's tongue moved out shyly and touched her finger. Barbara's finger moved forward and touched the brunette's teeth. Helena captured her finger and sucked it softly.

Barbara pulled that beautiful face towards her and kissed her softly. Helena kissed her back and melted under her touch. The feel of her tongue was like air to her soul. Helena moved forward, slowly she sat up on the redhead's lap and arranged her legs on each side of Barbara's thighs. She took the redhead's face in her hands and deepened the kiss.

Barbara felt her heart rate increase. The naked skin of Helena's back felt wonderful under her hands. The trembling of the young woman's muscles, shifting minutely under her hands, made her feel… excited? Yes, that was the correct word; she felt her body humming, a warm glow rising on her skin.

She felt Helena moan in her mouth. She opened her eyes feeling dazed with pleasure. Helena had her eyes closed and arched her head back. Barbara noticed then that she'd moved her hand, without conscious thought, and was cupping the younger woman's breast. She lifted her eyes; Helena's neck, offered to her, was too much to resist. She leaned in and bit it gently, while her fingers pressed the soft mound harder.

"Barbara…" The brunette growled, grabbing the older woman's head. She felt her body purring in pleasure. It felt so wonderful. She lowered her head and traced Barbara's ear with her tongue, she licked it slowly, with tiny movements. She had smelled her before, but never tasted her skin. It was salty, with a hint of orange. She slowly brushed her cheek against her carefully, feeling her skin against her. Then, she moved back to her lips.

After long and tender strokes, the brunette moved back slowly. She felt her heart would explode out of her chest.

Barbara's eyes opened, dazed, and she looked at Helena. She marveled at the wonderful feral eyes regarding her.

The young woman brushed back the older woman's hair, it was so soft… she'd never touched it as she was doing now, it was like silk.

"You know I must go," she whispered.

"Go?" Puzzled green eyes looked at her. "Why?"

"She is controlling me," Helena moved her hands to cup the redhead's face. She looked like an angel, a lovely red angel. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You would never hurt me." Barbara brushed her lips against hers.

Helena sighed and hugged her. "She will tell me to, and, if my mind is controlled…" she felt her heart breaking, "I would do it, and I don't want to. I couldn't live knowing I…"

"That is not going to happen. We will stop her."

"You don't understand."

Barbara moved back and took Helena's chin in her hand, forcing her to look at her. "I understand."

Shaggy bangs shook. Eyes, surrounded by a deep violet color, fixed on her. "You are my life, Barbara," the fingers of her left hand moved to the redhead's nose "you are part of my soul." Her finger traced the older woman's lips and moved below, to her jaw. "You are everything to me. I can't imagine a day without you, I can't live without you. If something happens to you because of me, I'll die."

Barbara smiled at her, she took her hand and kissed it.

"We will defeat her once more. Don't surrender, you never surrender, you are fighter, a great fighter."

"I'm scared." Helena's voice was a raw whisper. She dipped her head, hiding her eyes under long bangs. It was hard to accept.

"Me too." The words did little to alleviate the brunette's concern. For a few moments, Barbara considered her partner's fear, she was right to be concerned. Quinn had turned deadly. She rubbed Helena's arm. "But we will win. Do you trust me?""

Helena smiled lightly and nodded.

"And I trust you."

The two lingered in a wordless embrace.


	22. Chapter 22

"She is crazy! How could you let her do those things." Dick paced, annoyed, in the lab.

"You know, as well as I do, that Batman had a dark side, too," Barbara said in amusement as she sipped a bit of tea. Maybe she should have warned Dick about the games that Helena and Dinah sometimes played, now that they worked as a team.

"Yes, but this was too much."

"Dick, he loved to taunt the bad guys sometimes." She moved her wheelchair to the computer.

"She dangled a man over the edge of a building."

She smiled at him and put her eyeglasses on. "Tell me he never did it."

"Well... yes, but..."

"See? She is just like him, he did it to."

"The man was scared to death."

"Dick, you are overacting. Batman was much rougher and more cruel than her." Barbara moved her head and waved her hands. "I accept it.. she sometimes likes to play with the perps..."

"Like her mother," he interrupted her.

"Oh... I get it now." She narrowed her eyes at him. Again. She was tired of this. Dick had a kind of obsession with Helena's origins, and this was not the best moment to revisit this particular argument again. "Is this... about her mother?"

"Cat's love to play with their prey, no?" He crossed his arms and rested his hip on the desk next to her.

The redhead nodded slowly and her tongue played inside her cheek.

"Okay, a question? Are you always trying to talk bad about her because she is Selina's daughter and you are pissed because she always kicked you ass? Or is it because you are an idiot?"

The answer surprised him. "Barbara..."

"Listen to me, because is the last time I am going to talk about this.." she said, with a firm voice and pointing at him. "Helena is a wonderful girl, an excellent crime fighter that has been risking her life to help innocent people. Joker killed her mother when she was still a child. Her father never took care of her. She handled her pain by herself, when she had no more family in the world. She learned to survive alone and she has done it very well.. Selina was a much better mother than Bruce was a father. Bruce was a hero that saved lives, who cared about people, except his own daughter. So, if you can't learn to respect her, it's best is that you just leave."

"I'm sorry Babs." He reached out and took her hand.

"Dick..."

"I didn't mean it."

"You are so unfair with her."

"Forgive me?" he asked.

"Just, please, stop taunting her, I need help now, not more trouble." She turned her wheelchair toward her computer screen. "Quinzel is messing with her mind and I don't know how stop her."

"You need to relax a bit." He stood behind her, put his hands on her shoulders and began to massage them.

"And you must stop trying to make me push her away."

"Please, forgive me. I told you I'm sorry. Barbara, I was thinking..."

"Yes?"

"Helena always has these 'attacks' at the same time? It could be a clue." He moved his hands back.

She turned her head to see him, "I haven't checked it."

"Yesterday, it happened more less at three, it was the time we picked her up."

Dick knew that the gears in Barbara's head had started to work. Barbara pressed some buttons and opened several windows on her computer screen. She checked in some files until she found her target. It was a video. She opened it.

"Is it a porn film?" he asked.

"Not exactly. It's the video when Helena was at the W bar." She pressed a button and forwarded the image.

"I don't understand."

The older woman froze the image on the screen. Her eyes fixed on the electronic clock at the top of the screen.

"Three o'clock."

"Can you explain it to me?"

"I have a theory. Quinn programmed Helena in some way to dream about her. All her dreams trigger at three o'clock, afternoon or night, but always at three. The first time I noticed a nightmare, she was sleeping here on the couch. It was three o'clock. When we were watching movies it was three o'clock."

"So whatever dreams will come..."

"Will be at three o'clock." She took a pencil off the desk and played with it between her fingers.

"Any luck with the sand from the truck tires?"

"The scanner is working on it now." She pointed to a screen at the other side of the room. "At first analysis, it seems to be from the swamps, but there swamp is very big. I'm trying to find an extra element that might help me narrow the perimeter."

He sat on the desk. "Did you hear about the new microchip?"

"Microchip?"

"There is a new microchip that will be tested by the army in New Gotham the next week. It's a very advanced system that helps program missiles."

"I didn't know about it."

"Top secret information. When you told me about Quinn, I called a friend for the latest news from the army. It would be a good temptation for Quinzel."

She leaned back on her chair, "We will spread the rumour through the underground."

"Yes. We'll do it tonight and, afterwards, I'll travel to Washington. I think the microchip probably needs a good escort."

"I think that's an excellent idea."

"Well," he jumped to the platform, "I'll call you when I'll return next week."

"We'll be in contact."

"Sure." He leaned on the chair and cupped the redhead's face with his left hand, he kissed her on her cheek. He moved his mouth close to her ear and whispered, "Maybe we will have dinner when I return. I would love to spend another night like we used to share."

She winked at him "I don't think so."

"Maybe lunch?"

"That sounds more practical." She smiled at him.

He took her chin between his fingers. "You are so beautiful."

"Thanks, Dick."

He gave her a kiss on her lips. It caught her off guard. Before she could protest, he moved back.

"Well, I'll try. Time to work." He walked toward the elevator. "I'll pick Dinah up."

"I'll call her."

He waved his hand and disappeared behind the elevator doors. She moved her head, he was always too impulsive. Whatever, it was a good idea to spread the news through the underworld about the microchip. When he returns, she would tell him about Helena, and she'd need to tell Dinah, and Alfred... and her dad. Barbara smiled.

Well... now that she thought about it, she hadn't talked to Helena. What she wanted, what she expected, and... what she wanted for herself? Maybe she was moving too fast. They had shared just a few kisses and touches. She took her fingertips to her lower lip. She hadn't thought about kissing her, it had just happened. And it had been marvellous... tender, lovely, no one had kissed her like that before.

"Where is he going?" The brunette's voice came from behind her back.

Barbara almost jumped from her chair. She didn't expect her, she said she was going to take a shower and usually her showers were long. She smiled and took her hand to her chest.

"Oh… Dick had a good idea," Barbara explained.

"Mmmmm." Helena rested her hip on the station next to her and crossed her arms. She was wearing her red pants and a grey t-shirt.

"There is a new microchip," Barbara explained excitedly, "that will be tested by the army here in New Gotham next week. It will be a good temptation for Quinzel. So he and Dinah will go to..."

"He and Dinah?" the thin woman arched her brow, punctuating her question.

"Yes."

Barbara immediately saw the anger in her partner's face. She always was explosive and this time was no exception.

"And me? Are you afraid that I will betray them in the middle of the fight?"

"No, I'm afraid that you might fall into the middle of another nightmare and get hurt."

Helena stood up angrily and turned her back to the redhead. "Fuck!"

"You know I'm right, I don't want to risk your life." Barbara followed her with her eyes and turned her wheelchair toward her.

"Helena…"

"Were you flirting with him?" The young woman spun around and glared at her mentor with violet eyes. Violet eyes meant she was excited or angry and, considering the situation at the moment, she was angry.

"No."

The brunette leaned in and put the hands on the arm of her chair. "I saw you. He was very friendly and it didn't seem to bother you."

"Wait a minute…"

"He told you that he would love to spend another night as you used to 'share', no?" Helena's eyes snapped to feral.

It was a clear signal that Helena was very upset. "Hel..."

"Is he here for that? Are you dating him again?" The slight woman set her jaw, trying to control her temper.

"Of course not. Stop right now," Barbara said with a firm voice.

The brunette was so angry, so frustrated about being in Harley's hands, about not being able to help…and help herself. She had walked down to the lab to find Dick massaging Barbara's shoulders… and then…

"You kissed him! " Annoyed, Helena moved back, scrubbing her hands roughly across her face.

Damn, Barbara thought to herself. She dropped her head, her eyes squeezed shut, and she caught the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. "You misunderstood, it's not that."

"Barbara…" The young crime fighter raised her hand, asking for more time. She needed to calm down. It was not Barbara's fault after all. She couldn't force her to do anything. She had always been a straight woman, maybe, in her need, she had pushed her to… Crap. She met green eyes. "Tell me the truth… Why did you kiss me?"

"What?"

"I'm sorry for my bad mood." She waved her hands. "I don't have the right to shout at you like that… I understand, if you want be with him… "

"Helena… stop, stop right now." Barbara lifted her right hand. "It's my fault. We need to talk. Follow me, please." She wheeled toward her bedroom, she needed privacy and the Delphi was not a good place. She did not want to be interrupted.

The brunette felt her heart clench. She lowered her head.

Barbara stopped her wheelchair and turned to look at her, she was still standing on the Delphi platform.

"Please?"

Helena followed her in silence. They went toward the older woman's bedroom. The redhead waited for her at the doorframe and waved toward the bed, indicating that Helena should sit there. She closed the door behind her when they were both inside.

Helena sat on the bed and crossed her fingers between her thighs. She was going to speak, but Barbara lifted her hand again, silencing her. She closed her distance between them, their knees almost touching. She closed her eyes a few seconds before fixing her green eyes on Helena's blue ones.

"Never, never do that again," she said. "Why do you think I kissed you?"

"Look, I understand if you and Dick…"

"Helena, please, shut up!" Barbara almost shouted, surprising the brunette. "Do you think I kissed you on a whim? Or just to comfort you? What kind of person do you think am I?"

Helena felt like a small bug a second before being stepped upon. Tender hands covered hers. She blinked, staring at her mentor.

"Why did you kiss me?" Barbara asked softly, closing the distance between them.

Helena caught her upper lip against her lower teeth, fighting the deep emotions that constricted her chest and throat. "Because I love you…" she whispered.

The redhead smiled and put her palm against her cheek, her thumb caressing her lips "Did you ever think that I kissed you because I love you too?"

The brunette felt her heart growing inside her chest with joy and hope. A smile slipped on to her face. "Do you?"

"How I could I not?" Barbara's words were pronounced from the bottom of her heart. "You are wonderful." She leaned in slowly and closed her eyes. She kissed her Helena's lips softly. The redhead moved her head back and noticed blue eyes morphing to violet. The younger woman's expression was of full happiness.

"I love you so much. "

"I love you too."

"I have loved you forever," Helena mumbled, moving her fingers to touch the redhead's face lightly. She traced the curve of her jaw, her cheek; she took her time, exploring the other woman's face, enjoying the feeling of her skin under her fingers. So close to Barbara, she could easily smell the older woman's scent. She heard her own heartbeat pick up and felt her blood racing under her skin. She needed her so much, she wanted to get lost in her arms to calm all her fears, ease her pain. She leaned in to taste those red lips again. Barbara returned the caress.

Without thinking, Helena transferred herself to the redhead's chair. She sat on her lap with her legs on each side of the Barbara's thighs.

Barbara was lost in the pleasure of the tender touches of the powerful and incredible woman. She felt the brunette's muscles trembling under her fingers.

The young woman rubbed her body against her sinuously and Barbara felt her mouth go dry, Helena was gorgeous. The brunette's movements were so languid, so sensual; the feeling of those small, but firm, breasts against her own was incredible. Helena's fingers laced with hers. The brunette moved their linked hands close to her lips and kissed her knuckles. Barbara opened her eyes to see feral, golden pupils fixed on her.

Helena guided Barbara's hand over her chest. She moved it to her cleavage and around her breasts in an erotic display. Green eyes followed the movement of the brunette's hand. Helena guided Barbara's hand over her right breast.

At the sensation of that soft flesh under her fingers, Barbara pressed her palm against the brunette and Helena closed her eyes, arching her neck in pleasure.

Helena then moved forward and buried her face in the redhead's neck. All her primal instincts flowed out and her growing need overwhelmed all her senses. Quinn had teased her so much the last few weeks in her dreams, pulling her to the edge of sanity and creating so many confused feelings.

Barbara had said she loved her and Helena wanted to calm all her demons, her fears… her aching need.

"I need you…" was the soft whisper of the brunette.

Barbara felt herself being lifted out of her chair. With a fast movement, Helena moved her toward her bed. Before she could react, the brunette crawled over her and rubbed her face over silk-covered flesh.

Helena felt like she was burning, on fire. She needed to touch, to be touched. Her body was ready to explode, her mouth covered Barbara's breast.

"Sweet -- " Barbara mumbled, feeling the brunette's movements becoming frantic.

Helena's was totally focused on biting and licking the older woman's chest. She wanted her. Her desire clouded her mind and she pulled up Barbara's shirt, roughly. With uncoordinated movements, she tried to unbutton her pants.

"Barbara… I need you." She mumbled between hard gasps.

"Hel… wait." Barbara took a deep breath. She was on fire too, but Helena had been living the worst of experiences the last weeks. She'd felt used, manipulated, confused… raped…. She understood the need, she wanted to forget the pain, the loneliness, the helplessness… she loved her, she knew it, but she also knew that the brunette's state of mind was not the best at the moment. She was tormented, uncertain, afraid.

She tried to stop Helena's hands working on her breast, but the young woman caught her wrist and pulled it against her open pants. "Stop," Barbara said gently.

"Touch me," the brunette whispered, moving forward and biting her shoulder. She thought Barbara may have said something, but she didn't care. All of her focus was on her need to be touched, to feel the redhead inside her. She just wanted to be filled with the woman she loved more than anything else.

Barbara tried to pull her hand back, but the brunette's grip was hard.

"Please…" Helena opened to her and pulled Barbara's fingers between her thighs. "I need you." She began to rock against the older woman's hand.

"Hel…" the redhead tried to pull Helena back to reality, but the young woman was lost in her desire, in her need to escape of her pain and tormentor. .

"Fuck me…" she said, burying her face against Barbara's neck and pressing Barbara's hand against her aching core.

"I can't… You need to stop." Barbara struggled against her young, strong partner; she freed her wrist.

The brunette growled, annoyed, and grabbed her wrist again, holding Barbara's hand over the woman's head, kissing her hard. She brushed her face against hers. She was out of control.

"Fuck me, Barbara. Fuck me, please," she pleaded, rocking her hips frantically over the redhead's lower body.

"No…"

The brunette growled between sharp gasps, increasing the pace and rhythm of her hips.

"Helena, I don't want to fuck you… I want to love you."

The dark woman stopped her movements and nuzzled against the older woman's neck. "Please Barbara," she mumbled, trembling. Her body was burning with desire, her clit throbbing hard against her underwear, ready to explode. "Help me, I need…"

"I want to love you, Helena… I want to show you how much I love you, but not like this…" the redhead said with tenderness, knowing her young partner was struggling against her libido, her instincts.

Helena pressed her hips once more against Barbara's hand, trying to push her to keep going, but the older woman kept still.

"Helena, I love you," Barbara said, feeling the body of the thin woman trembling over her, "and I want to make to love you, not take you… or fuck you. I want to fill your life in many senses, in many ways, and I want you to love me back…. I want to feel you too." She felt then, Helena releasing her grip on her wrist. The older woman sighed with relief and wrapped her arms around Helena.

Between labored breaths, the dark woman swallowed before asking, "Why not now?" She lifted her head and kissed her jaw gently. "I need you now." She kissed her on the corner of her mouth and then on her nose.

"Helena, please…" Barbara cupped her cheeks with her palms, "You are not yourself... You are confused… you don't know what is real or not, just… just this morning you awoke feeling… used by Quinn again."

"I love you, not her." Blue eyes searched for green.

"I know. But I want to show you how much I love you our first time and I want to feel it too… I want you to feel happy, satisfied, loved. You… you are looking for an escape, for a release, I don't want it to be about that."

Helena sighed. She moved back, reluctantly, and sat on the bed covering her face between her hands. Fuck.

Barbara sat up on the bed and looked at her, concerned.

"I don't understand," the brunette mumbled. "I have dreamed of being with you for so long… and you say you love me too… it's confusing."

"I understand." The red head rested her hand on the younger woman's back.

"No, you don't understand." Helena stood up and buttoned her pants, feeling her skin tender to any touch, the frustration filling her senses. "You don't know…"

"Helena."

The dark woman turned to face her. "You don't know what it's like to wake up every day feeling all your love is for a person that never looks at you, that doesn't know you exist."

"You are not in all your senses, you know that. I want…"

"Yes, you are right," Helena interrupted, making an angry fist. "I'm just Quinn's fucking puppet, a person that you can't trust because I could betray you at any moment. I'm tired of being her puppet, I'm tired of being your puppet too. I'm fucking tired of everything!" she growled.

"I never thought that of you! You know it, you know me!" Barbara said with a loud voice.

"No, I don't know you. You slept with Wade the first time that you kissed him, and you were just attracted to him. You say you love me, we have kissed more than one time! What's the difference now?"

"Please calm down." The redhead lifted her hand, trying to find the words to avoid a confrontation that would hurt them both. Helena was visibly off, not in all her senses. "Don't go, we need to calm down and talk."

"What the fuck do you want?" Helena shouted.

"I want you." Barbara answered with a firm voice. "I want you back. You are in Quinn's hands now!! She is manipulating you and you know it! I want to help you! I want you to be free of her spell! Now what do you want, Helena? I can give you the relief that you need now, do you want to fuck? Okay, let's fuck if that's what you want. But I don't want that for us, I want us to share a moment of love. I want to make love to you, I want you to make love to me! That is what I want!"

They stared at each other in a heavy silence that filled the room. Helena swallowed something invisible stuck in her throat. She felt all her defenses collapse, suddenly. What had she done? What had she tried to do to her? She fought her own confusion and uncertainty. Quinn had pushed her libido to a breaking point. It helped the psycho to keep her on the edge, confused. She had found the way to play and manipulate her feelings, her mind and took her sexual impulses to an uncontrollable frenzy that clouded her mind.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, squeezing her eyes shut to avoid crying. "I think… I think that this gives me the reason."

"What reason?" Barbara had maneuvered to her wheelchair.

"I can't stay…. Look, " She waved her hand toward her. "Look what I almost did to you. The same thing she did to me…"

"No, Helena, you didn't do anything. Quinn has pushed you too far."

"I must go."

"Please, don't…"

"I'm sorry, Barbara, I can't stay. I love you so much…" The brunette turned and disappeared behind the doors.

Barbara called her and followed, but when she wheeled into the hall, Helena was gone.

"Dammit." She hit her fist against the arm of her chair. She didn't want this, Helena was running away from herself. Her only solution to avoid facing the problem was to leave; she hated herself for not finding a way to soothe the young woman's pain, she needed to bring her back, Quinn was surely looking for her.


	23. Chapter 23

She stared at the window, the morning was sunny. She noticed a bird working on her nest. The little bird flew to the grass, picked up some little sticks, and flew back to her nest, preparing it for her eggs. It was marvelous how a small creature could be so intuitive. Nature was incredible.

She sighed and looked at the clock on her office wall. Almost noon. She needed to look for Helena at the Dark Horse bar. She was surely there, as she always was when she felt confused, locked in her small apartment. She turned her attention back to the exams she needed to grade before leaving. Literature was not an easy subject for students. They preferred technology, computers, and couldn't find the pleasure of reading and understanding a good book. It was a shame.

She took out her cell and dialed the same number that she had dialed more othan ten times that morning. Again, she got voice mail. She tried the phone at the Dark Horse bar, another number she'd dialed many times that day. Again, no answer. She sighed and put her cell on the desk. She pushed her eyeglasses up with her index and began to check the exams. She hoped she could talk with Helena today, she didn't want her to misunderstand her rejection the night before. Heavens. It was so hard to focus on her work when all she could think about was Helena.

She heard the door opening and snapped her head up. "Helena?"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Barbara Gordon, but I'm afraid my little pet is lost."

Barbara opened her mouth in surprise when she saw Harley Quinn stepping inside her office, wearing a long brown raincoat. She instinctively moved her hand to the left bag of her chair where she kept a hidden birdarang, but Quinzel pointed at her with a gun.

"Tsk, tsk, not a good idea." She wiggled her index finger in front of her.

"Yes, I see." the redhead responded.

"Well…" Quinn closed the door behind her, "you insist on pissing me off. I don't understand why, but I really don't think it's a good idea." The blonde locked the door behind her and sat on a chair in front of the redhead. "Everything was going so well, and, suddenly, you stole my pet again."

"Helena is not a pet."

"No?" Quinn said, amused. "She was your pet for years. You played with her, you told her to her sit and she sat, you told her to roll over and she did it. She did everything you wanted, Barbara, because she lovesick over you. And you loved it, don't tell me you didn't know."

"I didn't know, and she was not my pet." The redhead glared at the blonde, considering her options. Her cell was close, but before she could take it, Quinn would shoot her. It was her lunch time and her next class would start one hour later. Dinah was studying in the library. Maybe she could buy some time by talking to her.

"That's interesting." Quinn leaned back on the chair "The all-knowing Oracle never knew the girl she was mentoring was in love with her for years? Or maybe you didn't want to see it?"

"I never realized it, Quinn. I would never play with Helena's feelings; she is very important to me."

"You love her…" she played with the gun between her fingers, "but you don't want to have sex with her, is that not evil?"

Barbara stared at her in silence. How…? 

The blonde laughed, reading Barbara's confusion.

"I know everything about her, Barbara-- what she does, what she thinks, what she wants… I own her. She is mine."

"She is free, you are using her, and I'll save her. I'll stop you."

"How, Barbara Gordon?" Quinzel asked. "How will you manage that, if I kill you now?" She pointed the gun at Barbara's head.

"There are another people, not just me." The former Batgirl said, "Sooner or later you will fall."

"Don't be so sure…" She squeezed the trigger of the gun.

Barbara closed her eyes. She heard the click of the gun, but didn't hear the shot. Quinn laughed and stood up, circling the desk where Barbara was seated.

"Maybe the next time. I love games," she said, standing behind her. She pressed the barrel of the gun to the red head. The blonde leaned in and, taking a few of Barbara's hair in her hand, she breathed deeply. Barbara remained unmoving, she didn't know what the sicko woman was planning. "Mmm…" Quinzel whispered, resting her cheek close to the redhead's ear "You smell good, almost as good as her." She licked the shell of it slowly, "And taste as good as her."

A shiver ran up Barbara's spine. With her free hand, Harley smoothed her hair. "Helena is so hot… so dammed hot. Tell me, why you didn't you want to have sex with her? Maybe because you… can't? Is that it? Your body is too useless to fuck?"

It required Barbara's best effort to not show any emotion. It was what Quinn wanted, to play with her feelings.

"If I touch you there… can you feel anything?"

"What do you want, Quinn?"

"To blow your brains out." She moved back and pressed the barrel of the gun against her head again.

Barbara closed her eyes. Again, it was just the sound of a 'click'.

"How does it feel, Barbara? Knowing you will die and Helena is still under my control. She told me everything about you, about her, I'm inside her mind and soul." She moved around the wheelchair to stand in front of Barbara. "I was thinking of killing her after she broke your neck, did you know it? But… I like her as a lover, I think I'll keep her."

"You have never touched her." Barbara faced her. "You are making her believe it happened to hurt her. It's another one of your sick games. She will never be yours."

"Let me answer you. How do I know you didn't want to fuck her last night? You would enjoy it -- she is wild, she really fucks like an animal. I love to hear her screaming when she comes." Quinn smiled, standing close to the door and pointing at her again with the gun. It was aimed right between her eyes, "Well, your time is up, she failed when I sent her to kill you, but I will not. Well, game over. See you in hell, Barbara Gordon."

The door broke open with a loud noise.

Quinzel's shot impacted the wall. The redhead ducked and rushed to grab her birdarang. The blonde turned, annoyed, who had…?

"It's over, Quinn." Helena growled, her fists balled. She had come to the school to apologize to Barbara. As soon as she walked inside the school, her senses told her something was wrong. As soon as she was close to Barbara's office, her fine hearing had detected Quinn's voice.

"Oh, my little pet, you came back to me." The evil woman grinned. "I'm not your fucking pet." 

"Well dear, actually you are, and you have been, an excellent fuck toy."

The brunette felt her blood boiling in anger. "Damn bitch."

"Come on, Helena. Tell Barbara about us… tell Barbara how you love feeling me inside you."

The dark woman growled, angry.

"Tsk, tsk, easy…" Harley raised her gun, pointing at her. "I would not like to kill you now. I have really enjoyed every moment we shared in bed. I miss feeling your body against mine, asking for more."

"Shut up." The young woman tried to take a step toward her, but Barbara grabbed her arm.

"She is taunting you. Don't listen to her, Helena, she just wants to hurt you."

"Listen to her, Helena. Behave." Quinn grinned , "Be nice to your lover."

"We have never been lovers." Feral eyes shone.

"We were and we are… Why you don't want to tell Barbara the truth? Tell her the truth. Tell her you call me and tell me everything you feel and do."

"The only truth is that you hate her and you are trying to destroy her through me, but you will never do it. "

"We will be together, Helena, sooner or later. You are mine."

The brunette threatened to move, but Quinn pointed at her with her pistol. "This still has still three bullets, one is enough to kill you and I just need one to kill your lovely Barbara."

"Don't be so sure, Quinn." Barbara's voice was clear.

A birdarang hit Quinn's hand and the pistol hit the ground. Helena pounced on her. It had never felt so good to hit someone. Her fist smashed hard against Harley's jaw sending her flying toward the wall. Before she could stand up, Helena grabbed her by the lapels of her raincoat. Harley swirled her eyes; Helena smirked.

"Contact lenses?" Harley asked.

The brunette nodded grinning.

"How annoying."

The first blow to her gut knocked the air out of the blonde; the second smashed the side of her face splitting her lip. Her back crashed against several shelves, breaking them. The brunette moved over her, but this time Quinn kicked her back. She crouched and took a purple ball out of her pocket.

"Don't touch me again or both of you will be die right now!"

Helena took a step toward her. Barbara noticed a button on the ball, Quinn's finger resting over it, ready to push. "No, Helena! It's a bomb!" she shouted.

"Smart Gordon…" The blonde stood up and walked slowly toward the broken door. "I have missed you, Helena. Wanna come with me?"

"Forget it, bitch…" "It's a shame, we are incredible in bed…. You fuck very well."

The brunette squeezed her fists. Her knuckles were white.

"Next time, you will not be so lucky. Next time, Helena won't fail me. Watch your back, don't trust her." The blonde threw the small ball to the floor and ran thought the broken door.

The brunette turned, she lifted Barbara out of her chair with a surprisingly fast movement and pushed her down, praying the metal desk would protect them. The ball exploded.

A hot wind enveloped them. Objects flew everywhere and a wall collapsed. Helena tried to cover the older woman with her body, supporting herself on her knees and elbows, which were on each side of Barbara's head. Pieces of bricks and wood fell over and around them. The brunette felt a hard blow on her back and grunted, but kept herself up to avoid crushing Barbara. A heavy, dark cloud of dust covered them.

A deep silence filled the place.

The brunette coughed, still feeling a heavy weight on her shoulders. She couldn't move much. It seemed a part of the ceiling had collapsed over them. The redhead was unmoving beneath her.

"Barbara?" she asked, unsuccessfully. She was unconscious, maybe she had pushed her hard. She looked around, trying to find an exit, but none were close to them. Well, she's just have to make one. She pushed back harder and felt the heavy weight behind her move. This was not going to be easy. She pushed again and felt the weight move a few more inches. She needed to be careful to avoid making things worse. A part of the wall and ceiling had collapsed, falling over them. The metal desk had helped create a small air pocket. She checked Barbara's legs, she was not trapped. That was good. Luckily, the second floor hadn't collapsed on them, but it was not safe to be there.

The redhead stirred. The brunette didn't know if she should be worried or relieved.

"Barbara?"

Green eyes opened slowly.

"Hey, baby…" Helena smiled.

"Hel? What are you…?" Barbara narrowed her eyes, trying to understand why Helena was over her. Suddenly, her memory came back and she tried to sit."Quinn."

"Easy…" the brunette said, holding her back, "This place is not very safe."

The older woman looked around, and it was then that she realized their situation. It didn't look good. "What happened?" "Short version? A bomb."

"We need to move. You are not in a good position. "

"Tell me about it. " Helena grinned. "Though under other circumstances, I would love this position."

Barbara smiled at her and caressed her cheek, "I'm glad you came back."

"Me too… I wanted to apologize about last night."

"Shh… it's okay. Now, we need to focus on getting out." "Good idea. This is a bit heavy and my arms are tired. Can you see what is behind the ceiling on my back? I felt it move, but I'm afraid If I push too hard, this part of the building will collapse." The redhead moved her head to the side and looked around. "I can see the second floor. It looks like just the ceiling fell. Push a bit more to your left side." 

The brunette tensed her muscles and did as requested. The heavy weight moved easily. Nothing seemed to be behind it. "Again." The young woman growled and pushed again. This time the ceiling slipped to the side, opening a space large enough for them to escape. Barbara quickly determined it was not a safe place to stay any longer. Helena felt a great relief on her back; that thing was really heavy. She looked up.

"We need to get out." She said.

"Agreed."

"Wanna lift?" Helena asked, smiling at the older woman.

"Please," Barbara responded wrapping her arms around her neck, "but only if you promise not to run away from me again."

"Deal." Helena kissed her quickly on her lips at the moment she wrapped an arm around her back to pull the redhead out.

* * *

The older woman had taken a long shower, enjoying the warm water over her shoulders. She had been covered in dust after the explosion. It was pure luck that Helena arrived a second before Quinzel shot. She surely would be dead now. Thankfully, too, Helena had prevented the ceiling from crushing them; she had just a few bruises and scratches, as did her young partner.

She had promised they would talk, as soon as they showered. As she wheeled outside the bathroom, she raised her eyebrows, maybe she had taken longer than she'd thought, Helena had fallen asleep, exhausted, on the bed waiting for her. Holding up the piece of heavy ceiling had taken a lot of effort and energy. The young woman was sleeping so peacefully and deeply, that she didn't had the heart to wake her up. She was wearing grey shorts and a big black sweatshirt. She transferred to the bed and turned off the lights.

With the help of her hands, she moved herself so that she was resting on her side and wrapped an arm around Helena's waist. She rested her head on the brunette's shoulder. Her hair still was still wet from the recent shower. She smelled so good. She closed her eyes to sleep, she was so tired. It was wonderful feeling Helena's heart beating under her, feelng her warm body close to hers. The young woman stirred and turned her head to her.

"Hey…"

"Hey."

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Helena asked drowsily. She turned her head toward Barbara and kissed her hair. It smelled so good. She inhaled deeply.

"You are tired, you need rest." Barbara smiled, snuggling closer.

Helena stared at the ceiling, the room was dark, but she could see easily. "I wanted to talk to you, I want apologize, I was a moron…"

"Shhh…. Don't talk. Just rest." 

"I can't if I don't apologize to you first."

"It's not necessary."

The brunette turned to her side and wrapped her arms around the woman she loved so much. She rested her forehead against Barbara's.

"I need to do it," she whispered. "I was so rude to you. You are right… It happened because I was so… so…" She struggled to find the words to explain that all her entire body was on fire for need of her? To release all the tension from the last few weeks, to ease the pain she felt was breaking her into thousands of pieces.

"Forget it, Helena, I understand." Barbara tried to find her eyes.

In the dark room, the shine of Helena's cat pupils were so clear.

"Do you forgive me?" the young woman asked hopefully.

"There's nothing to forgive. You don't need to apologize." Barbara kissed Helena's nose, "But I'm glad you came to school to do it… It saved my life."

"I'm glad too, I would die if something happened to you.' She caressed the redhead's cheek with her knuckles "What did Quinzel want? What did she tell you?"

"She wants me dead."

Helena ducked her head and sighed. "She will not rest.."

"No, but we will stop her."

Feral pupils fixed on green eyes. "What did she say about me?"

Barbara was silent, hesitating as to whether or not to tell the brunette. Quinzel had been clear, she wouldn't stop until she killed her and had Helena to herself.

"Please," the brunette begged, "don't lie to me, trust me as I trust you."

The redhead nodded. "She wants to kill me and wants you at her side."

"I'll never do it," the young woman sat on her knees and looked at her "I'm not going to let her touch you. I'll kill her."

"Calm down… it's okay…" The redhead sat up on the bed too. She took Helena's hand in her own. "But I'm worried. She knows everything, Helena… It worries me."

"Everything?"

"She knows everything you do, everything you think… she knows every move you make."

"What did she tell you? She must be exaggerating or…"

"She knows what happened between us last night," Barbara interrupted her.

"She knows… you wanted and… I didn't…" The brunette felt a heavy emptiness in her stomach.

"I can't stay here…." she mumbled when she was finally able to form words. "Calm down."

"Barbara, she is in my mind, she knows everything… I'm a danger to you. I can't stay."

"She is not in your mind."

"She is."

"No, because she didn't know where you were, she said you were lost. She just has some details, not everything. Somehow, she is getting info, but I'm not sure how she does it. If she was in your head, she would be able to control you and she is not doing that. She is trying to convince us she can do it, but she can't." She squeezed the younger woman's hand."Please stay."

The brunette looked at her pleadingly. "Barbara… "

"We'll check on Quinn tomorrow. I'll rest much better knowing you are safe, you are at home." The redhead smiled at her, "Stay with me… cuddling?"

"But….."

The older woman pulled her close and gave her a soft kiss. The touch of those red lips was electric.

"I'm afraid of hurting you." The brunette felt her heart beating harder against her chest.

"I can't sleep if I don't know where you are."

"I'll be at home."

"This is your home too, you know….Please?"

The young woman nodded and moved back.

"Where are you going?" Barbara asked curiously.

"Uh… To my old room?" Barbara laughed and lightly patted the pillow. "Come on, you can stay here. I don't bite."

Helena chuckled. "I might, though... Barbara, I don't think I can sleep with you so close to me. You are so beautiful, Do you know that?"

"Not as beautiful and sexy as you are, Hel, but I trust you." She couldn't see it, but Barbara was sure Helena had a big smile across her face.

"Can you turn over?" the brunette asked, shyly.

Green eyes narrowed.

"Cuddling, I would like hug you." Helena explained.

Barbara smiled and the young woman helped her to move to her side. Helena then spooned close to the redhead. She wrapped her arms around the redhead's waist and buried her nose in her shoulder. Being there, just holding her so close was wonderful, she inhaled deeply.

"Much better."

Barbara put her hand over strong arms around her waist . She closed her eyes, feeling so safe, so secure, surrounded by the warmth of Helena's body and her sweet scent.

"I'm in heaven," Helena whispered in her ear, feeling an incredible joy in her heart. She had dreamed of this for so long and having Barbara in her arms was even better than she imagined. "I'll stay here forever."

"Me too."

Helena couldn't believe the peace overtaking her body just from being there, holding the woman she loved. She felt her body relax. She was unaware of drifting to sleep.

* * *

Something woke her, she didn't know exactly what, she just realized she was alone in her big bed. Helena was gone.

"Helena?" she called, but no one answered.

She turned on the lamp on her night table. The room was empty. Her gaze turned to her bathroom, but the door was opened and she could see it was empty. She was worried, Helena was still in danger and it was not safe for her to leave the tower. Quinn would look for her and neither her apartment nor the Dark Horse Bar were secure. Quinn would not rest until she killed her and had Helena in her clutches.

She pulled her manual wheelchair toward her and transferred herself to it. She wheeled outside of her bedroom, which was below the ClockTower and moved through the corridor. When she was close to the kitchen, she heard a voice. It was Helena, to whom would she be talking at three am? She wheeled toward the living room. As she neared, she realized Helena was talking to someone on her cell. She stopped, it was not polite to eavesdrop. Well, that was the plan until she heard a name. Harley. A cold shiver ran through her body.

"She is safe now," the brunette said , "She is not seriously injured. And she was nice to me tonight. What do you want me to do now?"

It took all of Barbara's courage to look into the living room. The brunette stood close to the window. Her eyes were vacant. After a pause, the brunette spoke again.

"Okay, I'll let you know where she will be."

She had the same look Barbara had seen before, when Helena was lost in her mind.

"I'll do it, Harley…" the young woman said.

Barbara tried to wheel back, but her chair bumped against the wall. The brunette snapped her head to the corridor.

"She is here," she said into the phone. "--All right…. I'll kill her now." She slipped t the phone into her pocket and walked toward the redhead.

TO BE CONTINUED


	24. Chapter 24

"Helena…. wake up," Barbara said, trying to bring her back to her senses. Dinah, surely the noise would wake her up.

"She wanted to kill you herself, but now that you know everything, it doesn't matter," the dark haired woman growled.

"Wait:..." the redhead lifted her hand.

Helena grabbed Barbara by her neck.

"Helena…" Barbara gasped, grabbing the brunette's wrist with her hands, "Just tell me… Why did you call her?"

The brunette smirked with her predatory gaze. Barbara couldn't suppress her fear. This was not the young woman she loved, but she needed to know what was happening in order to help her and to buy some time until she could find a way to break the spell.

"All right, we have time." The brunette released her grip. Her eyes followed the curve of the older woman's neck and she let her hands move down. "She told me to do it…. You are beautiful."

"How, Helena? How did she get control of you?"

The brunette grinned, "You ask too many questions." She suddenly pulled Barbara out of her chair and pressed her against the wall. Barbara wrapped her arms around Helena's neck to support herself.

Helena sniffed her. "She took precautions, she is smart," she mumbled, licking Barbara's neck. "When she hypnotized me months ago, she planted a trigger." She pressed her body against the redhead and kissed her sternum. "When it was triggered, it would begin to work six months later."

Barbara gasped, feeling a sharp bite on her shoulder. "What was the trigger?"

"The flash you used to dehypnotize me." Helena lifted her eyes. "Now… If I kill you, I'll be with her again." She moved her right hand to a slender throat.

"Wait , Hel…" Barbara said, "I just want know… What happened then? Why the nightmares?"

"They are not nightmares, it was just us loving each other." Helena searched for her lip,s but Barbara turned her head to the side. The young woman chuckled. "She owns me, I would start dreaming about her, it was the signal that the second phase of her plan had started." She rubbed her face against Barbara's. She loved her smell, it made her feel wild. "Of course, I didn't know that, then. The dreams became more frequent and more intense. When it happened, I needed to go see her."

"You went to Arkham."

"Yes… then the second part started… When she told she owned me, it opened my mind, I needed to go back to free her so I could be with her forever." Helena trapped Barbara's lips and kissed her roughly, ignoring the redhead trying to push her away. After long seconds, she moved back, feeling her body humming, her eyes burning in desire. "I want to fuck you."

"You could never do it."

"Why not?" Helena leaned in and licked her lobe.

"Because you love me… And I love you."

Helena growled and rubbed her body against the other woman's. "I want Harley… I want her body… I want her, not you. But it would be fun to fuck you before I kill you. She didn't say not to do it. She is going to steal a microchip, so, we have time."

"You want her.." Barbara swallowed, feeling the brunette's hands roaming over her. "But you don't love her-- you want her because she told you to want her, not because you…"

"Shut up." The brunette pushed her to the floor and ripped her blouse open.

Barbara struggled, but the young woman held her wrist with her right hand above her head. She bit her upper breast.

"Why were you were calling her?" Barbara asked, trying to distract her. The brunette was strong, she could overpower her.

"She told me that if something was wrong…" Helena licked her abs, "If you broke the spell again, I must call her every night until she could bring me back to her."

Barbara looked the watch at the wall. "At three o'clock."All the pieces fell into place. With Helena dehypnotized, Quinn couldn't control her, just make her act in differently for a few minutes each day. Helena couldn't remember it and that allowed Quinn to keep playing her game, making them believe she was inside Helena's mind.

"Smart, Barbara…" Feral eyes shone in the darkness. She put her fingers on the waist band of the redhead's shorts. "Now shut up and let's fuck." She pulled them down.

"Did you call her last night and tell her I'd be at school?" the red head asked.

The dark woman growled. "Yes. She wanted to kill you, but it seems she couldn't. She wanted to play a bit more and you ruined everything. It's my turn now…" Helena lifted her head and captured her lips again. "You are so beautiful... I want you."

"Did you sleep with her?" Barbara gasped, breaking the kiss.

"Why?" Helena laughed "Are you jealous?"

"I want to know."

"That is something you will never know. I´ll fuck you and then, I'll kill you." She stretched her arm and grabbed the cord from the lamp in the living room. She turned the redhead over and tied her hands behind her back.

"Helena…Stop. You are…"

The brunette closed her mouth with her hand and leaned in, whispering, "Shhh… You don't want the kid waking up, right?." She licked her cheek. "You will enjoy this, I promise it."

"What are you doing, you crazy bitch?" Dick's voice echoed in the room. The lights turned on. He gasped in shock noticing Helena was above the restrained redhead.

Helena turned, annoyed "Go away Twinky Wonder. This is none of your business. Or, are you jealous?"

He jumped on her, but the brunette rolled, holding Barbara to her chest. She put her hand on her neck.

"Easy, or I'll kill her…. Why don't you leave and let us have our fun?"

"Let her go, and fight."

"Are you jealous because you couldn't make her feel like a woman?" Helena grinned. "Your time it's over, it's mine now."

"Helena… you are not in your senses…" Barbara gasped.

"Get out!" the brunette shouted at Dick. "Get out unless you want me to kill her."

"She is your best friend, you can't do it."

"Try me."

"Go, Dick." Barbara said.

Helena smiled and kissed her cheek. "Listen to her, Dicky Dick… she wants someone who can make her feel like a woman."

Grayson balled his fists. "Barbara, she…"

"She is not in control of herself, Dick… she is under Quinn's spell."

Suddenly, a bronze horse statue slammed into Helena's back. Iit was big and heavy. She felt everything turning black and released the redhead. Dinah lifted her hand and pushed her against the coffee table. Dick didn't hesitate and jumped on her. The tall man hit the brunette hard on her jaw. She crashed against a table with decorative porcelain. A buzz echoed in her head. She felt herself being lifted by her sweatshirt and a hard blow to her stomach knocked the wind out of her.

Barbara couldn't figure out what was happening. In a blink, Dinah was at her side, untying her.

"What was that?" the redhead asked.

"I heard the noise and I thought it would be best was surprise her or she might kill you, are you okay?"

"Yes."

"What happened?" She removed the sweater she was wearing and gave it to her guardian.

"I know what is happening to her." She rubbed her wrist and turned to see Dick. He was currently in mid-air, flying across the room. Helena had kicked him. "Help him. She is under Quinn's spell, don't hurt her."

Dinah pulled the wheelchair close to Barbara.

This time Dick felt a fist that was like an iron. He blocked the other punch and threw a punch at her face. She ducked and  
grinned. "Not a cake walk, Twinky Wonder?".

It pissed him off. He attacked her, but she easily avoided him and turned, kicking him back. She was going to attack him, but she bounced against an invisible wall.

"What the f…?" she growled lying on the floor. She turned her head to Dinah.

"It's okay," the teen said, "I don't want hurt you"

"Now, that is funny," Helena stood up.

Dick attacked her. The brunette blocked his punch, but was unable to avoid his knee impacting her ribs and a second fist to her jaw. She bent over and he took the opportunity to throw her across the room. She hit the far wall.

"Don't hurt her!" Barbara shouted.

Dinah lifted her hand and put a barrier around Helena's waist, restraining her in place.

The young woman shook her head and blinked, she tried to stand, but was held down. She frowned, glaring at her young partner.

"What's wrong with you?" she growled.

"Stay down."

"What the hell are you doing?" She looked at the redhead wheeling toward her. "Barbara, what is happening?"

"Helena?" Dinah mumbled.

"What? Let me go or I'll kick your ass!" The dark woman struggled to free herself.

The look in Helena's eyes was different; they were no longer more cold and vacant. She knew her pretty well, she had returned to her senses. "Helena is back," she said.

The teen smiled releasing her, "Yeah, she is back."

"No!" Nightwing was over the brunette in a second. "She is tricking us."

"Dick?" Helena lifted her head in time to see a fist coming straight at her nose.

"Dick! No!" Dinah shouted.

He lifted her by her sweater and hit the side of her face full force. He didn't stop and punched the surprised brunette once more. He lifted her and threw her against the China cabinet, breaking it into pieces.

"Dick, stop!" Barbara yelled.

Dinah noticed Helena was unmoving, Dick moved over her again. She pushed him back with her TK.

"What the…?" he growled.

"She is unconscious! " Dinah shouted, "Can't you see?" She ran toward  
the brunette.

"The bitch tried to kill Barbara!"

"She was under Quinn's spell!" the redhead yelled.

"I told you that you can't trust her!" Dick walked toward her.

"And I told you that she is under Quinn's spell!"

"She is okay," the young teen said, kneeling next to her partner, "but she will have a nasty bruise on her face."

"She is a fucking bitch! She…"

"Stop!" Barbara shouted at Dick. "We need to help her. Now I know what happened and I know how to break Quinn's spell."

"She is okay, Barbara. Just knocked out."

"We need move her to the lab. I'll explain everything there." The redhead fixed her eyes on him. "Helena said Quinn will try to steal the microchip tonight, you and Dinah must go and stop her."

"But, Helena…"

"Just help me move her to the lab, I know how to help her now."

"Barbara."

"Trust me, she will be fine. I'll be fine" She took his hand, "You and Dinah must hurry."

She awoke alone in the big bedroom. Looking at the clock, she saw that is was ten minutes after four. Man, she had really slept. She felt still a light throbbing on her nose. She touched it carefully, surely it was bruised. Damn Dick, he had hit her really hard, she didn't see it coming. It had been right in the middle of her nose, it had knocked her out.

She stood up, Barbara was probably downstairs at the Delphi, working as usual. She wanted to see her. They still had many things to talk about. After she was knocked out, Barbara woke her using salts, she explained that had tried to kill her again, and she had managed to make her talk about what Quinn had done to her. She was hypnotized, but it didn't help much – she still felt like a damn sewer rat.

She still felt…

Barbara had told her that she was going to hypnotize her again to break the spell. She couldn't remember what happened next, she only knew that she had awaked in her bedroom and she felt rested, relaxed, as she hadn't felt in weeks. She wanted see Barbara, ask her about what happened. She wanted to apologize again, tell her she was her life, her soul-- she wanted to feel her close.

She picked up her red sweatpants from the couch and walked toward the closet, taking out one of Barbara's white t-shirts, they were almost the same size. She would find her shoes later.

She walked outside the room, barefoot, toward the elevator to go upstairs, to the Clock tower. No one seemed to be in the penthouse area. When she crossed the living room, she heard voices in the kitchen. Thinking it was Barbara, she went toward them.

"Why Alfred? I don't understand her."

It was not Barbara, it was Dick. She turned to go the other way, but the next sentence stopped her in her tracks.

"Helena is dangerous, she is crazy. She could kill her at any moment!"

She frowned. That asshole again.

"Master Dick," Alfred said, "you are wrong."

"No, Alfred, Barbara is willing to forgive anything to keep a piece of Selina. Did you know? I didn't understand Barbara's fascination for Selina… I think I understand it now."

"Sorry, I don't follow…"

The brunette stepped closer to the door. She could see them in the kitchen, Dick was pacing Furiously.

"You know Barbara is a crime fighter, she loves rules, law…" he said, "and suddenly she became a good friend of one of the worst criminals in the city. It was weird."

"They found they had things in common." Alfred lifted his brow. "Mrs. Kyle was a good woman with a big heart."

"Come on Alfred, the bitch was just a cheap burglar."

Helena's eyes went feral and she clenched her teeth in anger. She couldn't stand anyone talking about her mother like that.

"It's not right to talk about a lady in that manner. Selina was a wonderful woman," the gentle butler said. "Everyone makes mistakes -- you too, from what I recall. Miss Barbara was the only one who believed in her when she quit her life of crime."

"Alfred," he stood in front of the old man and crossed his arms, "you donn't believe that bullshit about their friendship, right?"

"I would really appreciate it if you would moderate your words. You are talking about Mrs. Kyle and Mrs. Barbara. Mrs. Selina was a woman with a lot of experience and culture; Mrs. Barbara, younger than her, was at her same level. They loved to talk about history, books, they shared the same hobbies and interests. She was a woman with an incredible magnetism."

"That's the point, Selina fascinated Barbara. She had an incredible charm and bewitched men and women. Helena has her mother's susceptibility to evil."

The brunette glared at Dick. She felt a deep aversion for this man, not just because he had been Barbara's lover, but because he really was a jerk. She still wondered what the hell the redhead had seen in him.

"She is much as her mother as her father," Alfred pointed out. "It's natural that she would feel attraction to both sides of the law-- feel the adrenaline, the danger, the challenge -- but she, too, has a big heart and that always rules her life. She would never do anything that would hurt anyone."

"Then tell me why she tried to kill Barbara again last night?" he almost shouted.

Helena again felt like a sewer rat. She didn't want to do it, she had done it under Quinn's spell… but it didn't make her feel any less guilty.

"Tell me…" Dick waved his hands, "tell me why she tried to rape her?"

It was as if she had been stabbed at her heart. The entire room began to move around her, she felt her knees buckle. It was suddenly very hard to breathe. Helena fell to her knees. What the fuck had she done? Their voices sounded distant.

"You know it was not her." Alfred was beginning to feel impatient.

"She tried to rape her, Alfred! She could have done it!! What would have happened if I hadn't been here in time? Barbara overprotects her. Do you know why? I understand why, now."

"She loves her so much Master Dick and she understand that Miss Helena was hypnotized."

"It is not strange that Barbara took her under her wing when Selina died," Dick spat. "She sees her in Helena."

Helena lifted her head; she wanted throw up. She felt worse now. Clenching her fists, she closed her eyes. How could she have done that to Barbara?

"It's Barbara s way of holding on to someone she lost in the past," she heard Dick saying. "Barbara kept her just because she loved Selina, she misses her and she sees her in Helena. She loved Selina, she loved Selina as a woman and I'm sure Selina loved her in return!"

Helena stormed inside the kitchen. She couldn't contain her anger; she couldn't handle anyone bashing her mother or Barbara. She pushed him hard against the wall. Feral slits buried in his eyes. Alfred barely had time to step back.

"What the ..?" he growled.

"You are talking about Barbara and my mother, be careful." She pointed at him.

"What's your fucking problem?" He pushed her back. "You are a bitch, just like your mother."

"Master Dick!" Alfred shouted.

Helena's right fist connected solidly against the side of his face. He fell backwards, breaking the kitchen table. Before he could stand up, she was over him again.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Dick shouted.

"Take it back." The dark woman grabbed his throat with her hand.

"Bruce didn't want you, you are the daughter of a criminal, a fucking bastard!" He pushed her back with his feet.

Helena's back smashed against the fridge.

No one wanted you!" he spat. "No one claimed you after Selina's death. Everybody knew what piece of shit you are!

"Damn asshole." She squeezed her fist in balls.

"Barbara took care of you just because you remind her of Selina!" He wiped his lip with his sleeve, it was bleeding. "And after all she's done for you, you tried to rape her! You are a sick bitch!"

"Liar!!" She jumped over him.

Dick held her wrists and both bounced against the sink.

"You tried to do it! I stopped you!" Dick growled and pushed the brunette back.

"You are lying!" Helena shouted, glaring at him. It couldn't be, he was lying.

"Ask her! Ask her and she'll tell you I'm not lying," he said.

"No, I would never do it to her." She felt her muscles tensed, her blood boiling inside her.

"I found you on top of her, on the floor, ripping her clothes! She was asking you not to do it!"

"You are lying!"

"Do you know how I felt when I walked in and I heard her pleading with you? I'll never forgive you, Helena Kyle! You tried to hurt her! She gave you everything and you tried to abuse her!"

"Not true!"

"What's your fucking problem, Helena?" he shouted at her "You tried to rape her, why are you angry with me? It was you! Not me! You failed her again!"

"Fucking asshole."

"She was on the floor, you were over her and you tied her hands! You are a sick pycho just like Quinn! I know you had sex with her! You had sex with the worst criminal of New Gotham, with the girlfriend of the Joker! The man that killed your mother and paralyzed Barbara!"

"No, I didn't..:"

"You did… Quinn told me when I caught her." Dick kept his eyes fixed on her. "Quinn told me you had been lovers for months. "

The young woman felt a shiver on her back.

"And after sleeping with her, you tried to rape Barbara… And now you are angry with me because I called your mother a bitch? You are like her! A fucking whore."

He was dead. He was definitely dead, and no one could stop her. Helena pounced on him. Dick tried to move away, but the brunette's anger made her most powerful. She was blinded by anger and pain. He managed to connect a punch to her side and other to her gut, but she didn't seem to feel any pain. She was a hurricane and he could barely protect himself from her attack. She put her hands on his throat.

"Helena, stop!" Barbara's strong voice echoed in the place. She was at the doorway of the kitchen. Alfred had called her as soon as the fight had started. He knew she was the only one who could stop them from killing each other.

She wanted to cut him in pieces, make him swallow all his words. Dick coughed trying to breathe.

"Helena, I said stop!" The redhead wheeled inside the kitchen, which was a mess.

"She is lying!" Helena growled, strengthening her grip on him, "He has to admit that he's lying!"

"Helena, please, let him go!"

The brunette turned, feeling her eyes moist. She looked at the older woman pleadingly. "Tell me he is lying, please, Barbara, that I didn't try to… "

A knot in her throat made it difficult for Barbara to speak. She had heard Dick when she was wheeling out of the elevator. She hadn't planned on telling her all of the events of the last night and much less in the way that Dick had. "Let him go, please."

to be continued...


	25. Chapter 25

The young woman released him slowly without moving her eyes from her deepest love. She knew she would never lie to her, she knew she could trust her. Dick coughed and rolled to his side.

"Please… " Helena whispered, painfully, looking at her, "Tell me… Did I try to… to…"

The young crime fighter found that she tried, but she couldn't pronounce the word. It was so hard, she was afraid it was true. He must be lying. But her hope died when she saw Barbara nodding slowly. She felt the air gone from her lungs, her heart breaking in pieces.

"No…. didn't…" She shook her head, feeling tears flowing from her eyes, "Tell me no, Barbara, that I didn't…"

"It's all right, Helena, nothing happened. It was not you." Barbara tried to touch the brunette, but she jerked back and stumbled against the remains of the broken table. She understood her pain and softened the tone of her voice, trying to calm her.

"Helena, it's okay. I broke the spell."

"But…" the young woman couldn't believe what she had done, "I tried to… " She gasped, feeling scared of herself, "Oh God…"

"It was not your fault, Miss Helena," Alfred said from the doorway.

Blue eyes locked in green with shame and deep sorrow. "I love you."

"I know," Barbara said gently, "and I love you, too. So much. You…"

"I didn't want to do it," Helena interrupted, sobbing, "I would never hurt you."

"I know, Helena, I trust you with my life."

"Don't do it… don't do it anymore." Helena slipped to the floor and covered her head with her hands, crying.

Dick stood up, still coughing. Barbara buried his eyes on him.

"Get out, I don't want see you again for a long, long time."

"Barbara," he said, surprised.

"I said get out!" the redhead yelled at him.

"Master Dick." Alfred took his arm, "Please…"

"I saved your life last night! What's wrong with you?"

She didn't answer. She turned her back on him and wheeled close to the brunette. Alfred pulled him out the kitchen.

Helena cried, she couldn't believe what she had done, she had failed her again. She had screwed up everything. She felt the redhead nearing her. She pushed back with her feet back and lifted her hand.

"Don't touch me…"

"Helena, I love you." The older woman dragged herself close to the younger woman. 

"I can't…" The dark haired woman shook her head.

"Helena, listen to me." Barbara sat close to her, she felt the young woman flinch. She put her palm over one of Helena's hands. The dark woman pushed her back gently.

"Please, no…"

"Just… just don't touch me…" Helena begged, sobbing. She again pushed herself back with her feet.

"Helena, it was not your fault, you didn't do anything to me. I'm fine," Barbara tried to explain.

"Tell me what I did to you…."

"Nothing… you did nothing." Feeling angry she took Barbara's wrist.

"What is this, then?" She clenched her teeth.

"I tied you up right? I did it! You asked me to stop and I didn't do it!"

"But it was not you!" Barbara almost shouted "Quinn had hypnotized you!"

The brunette stood up, feeling so sick.

"Helena, please," the redhead asked "Don't let her destroy you."

"I almost destroyed you." Helena whispered, feeling empty, "…Since I told you I love you, I have tried to do it… and I can't… I would die…."

"I know you would never hurt me."

"You don't know. You never will."

"I know that I trust you."

Helena was walking out of the kitchen, but stopped. She couldn't leave her there. She turned and, kneeling, she lifted the redhead to her chair. Barbara trapped her lips in a deep, intense caress. She didn't want her to go. Breathless, Helena moved back a few inches and rested her forehead on Barbara's. She closed her eyes, still feeling tears slipping down her cheeks.

"I trust you, I trust you with all my heart and soul…. And I'm not sure if you… what I would be for you." Barbara said.

"The problem is that I don't trust myself anymore." Helena moved back stepping out of the kitchen.

"Please don't go…" Barbara pleaded, following her. "We can figure this out together."

The brunette stood in front of the open living room window, her back to the redhead.

"I don't remember anything about last night," she said. "I didn't want to do it!"

"I know." Barbara pushed her chair toward her. "But I don't want you to go." 

"I need be sure that I won't try to hurt you again."

"We will test it together."

"I don't want to. I need be sure that the nightmares are gone..." She looked at the redhead with pleading eyes. "Your life is in danger with me here. I need you to understand."

Barbara exhaled, feeling tired. "No, you told me you loved me."

"And I do!" Helena exclaimed.

"Then, if we want to be together, we must face everything together."

Helena sighed, exasperated. Annoyed, Barbara took her forearm and pulled her down. The young woman stumbled and fell over her surprised. Barbara had a hard grip on her arm. Damn. She was strong.

"I'm not going to let you go. Not again," the former Batgirl said. "I don't want you running away from me, you are not the only one suffering from this."

The dark woman was trapped in the magic of those intense green eyes looking at her with so much love and devotion, as no one else had ever done. Being so close to the redhead, Helena could smell her anger, her frustration, her fear, her excitement. It made her body tremble. She wanted to kiss those red lips so much, touch her white skin. But she couldn't, not now, not until she was sure…

"What about me, Helena?" the redhead asked.

Blue eyes lifted to meet green ones. What was she talking about?

"What about what I feel when I see you in pain? Don't you think that I suffer, too? That I spend nights awake wondering how you are? Wanting to be close to you and hold you? Comfort you? Do you think it's fair to leave me alone, not knowing where you are?"

The brunette blinked, not knowing what to say. Barbara's hand cupped her face and her thumb stroked her full red lips. Helena found her face inches from Barbara's. She was so beautiful.

"I love you, Helena." Barbara stretched forward.

The touch was teasing, nothing more than a gentle, hesitant brush of lips together, but as soon as Barbara felt the slight hitch of breath, there was only Helena and herself, darting forward. Helena trembled under the caress and moaned, parting her lips. Barbara didn't hesitate and her tongue touched her mouth, requesting entry.

Helena opened her mouth to her, the warmth of the strong muscle overwhelmed her senses; she shyly touched her tongue to the redhead's. It was a perfect, magic moment that promised everything she didn't think she could ever have. She'd never had a kiss like that -- intense, hot, sweet, demanding. A mixture of sensations flowed over her skin, in her blood. Her body felt light, her senses lost in the loving caress. It was incredible the way Barbara could soothe her soul, calm her anger, make feel her loved, secure, in heaven. She felt all her fears disappear, all the pain evaporated. She felt enveloped in a warm, protective cocoon. 

When Barbara finally moved back, Helena was dazed. Everything was cloudy around her. For a moment she forgot she needed to breathe. She opened her eyes slowly, Barbara's face was smiling to her. It was the smile of an angel. Yeah, she was in heaven.

"Helena?" Barbara asked gently, feeling proud of the fact that Helena, the untamable Huntress, had a dumb expression of happiness all over her face… and she had caused it. She found it hard to believe how much that wild, strong woman loved her.

"Mmm?" the brunette mumbled. Her name sounded like music on the other woman's lips.

Barbara smiled, still holding the brunette's face with her palms.

"Are you okay?"

"Wnnndeeeuuful." Helena gave her a dazed smile.

The redhead laughed lightly, "Wonderful?"

The dark head bobbed lightly and leaned in, nestling her head against Barbara's neck, hugging her.

"I love your smell," the young woman mumbled in her neck.

Barbara wrapped her arms around her and they embraced in silence for long seconds. The redhead buried her nose in the unruly dark hair, smelling a hint of oranges and ginger, inhaling deeply. She wanted the moment to last forever; the feeling of the thin woman under her hands was marvelous. She couldn't avoid chuckling when she felt Helena's light purr reverberating through her body.

Now she understood many things. She wasn't in the mood to cry anymore. She couldn't, she had cried so much in the few last weeks. She felt empty, she felt drained. It was a weird feeling. Everything had been screwed up since she had confessed her love to Barbara. She thought it would be much better, different. Maybe she had chosen the worst moment to do it. She was in the middle of the Harley nightmare. She had tried to hurt her. Granted, she had been hypnotized, but it still didn't help so much to make feel her better.

She could have been lethal if Dinah hadn't been there the first time and, then, Dick… She shook her head, she felt a shiver just in thinking of that.

Helena, are you okay?" Barbara's voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"Yeah… why?" The redhead lifted her head to look at her over the monitor of her computer.

The young woman was seated on a chair a few meters from her with a glass helmet over her head. Barbara was checking her brain waves to be sure she had cut all connections to Quinzel's programs.

"Nothing? You seem to be in distress…."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means, I need you to calm down and think of pleasant things that don't disturb you." Barbara returned to her keyboard, she had finished the test, but she wanted to run one more, just in case..

"Okay." Helena adjusted her position in the chair asshe sighed and closed her eyes. Barbara saved the data file and opened another window. She began to fill the information before starting to record again. She turned her wheelchair to the next computer and pressed the right button of the mouse.

"I'm going to start recording now, Helena," she said in a loud voice.

"Everything all right, Miss Barbara?" Alfred appeared carrying a tray with cookies and warm tea.

"Seems to be," the cyber genius answered, "I'm 99 sure that I broke the program that Quinn planted in Helena's head."

He chuckled. "But you are testing for the one percent, right?"

"Exactly, Harley has a really twisted mind. I don't want to risk her."

"Would you like a cup of tea?" He poured the warm liquid into a cup.

"Oh sure," She took the cup that he offered and sipped it. "Mmm, delicious." 

"It's your favorite."

"Thanks."

"Do you think Harley will try to get control of Miss Helena again?"

"She will always try." The redhead bit her lips, "She has a strange, sick fascination for her. Helena is a temptation for her; she knows she has a dark side and I think she is trying to make it grow and control it to her benefit. And, the truth is, that with Helena next to her, she could easily defeat this city."

"I shudder just to think about it."

"Thankfully, she is not on that side." She bit a cookie.

He lifted his right eyebrow, looking at the computer screen behind the cyber genius.

"What do the red lines mean?"

The older woman turned around to look at the monitor. She frowned. Her brain waves needed be around 10hz and they were higher. She lifted her head.

"Helena, I told you to try to relax."

"I'm relaxed," the brunette said.

"So, tell me why your brain waves are so high?" Barbara typed on the keyboard "What are you thinking now?"

"Uhmmm…" the young woman hesitated. "Nothing?"

"Nothing?" Barbara scratched her head. "God! The lines are going to jump off the monitor."

"Uh…."

"Well?" Barbara removed her eyeglasses as she tapped her fingers on the desk. She looked at Helena expectantly, the young woman looked at her. "I told you to relax."

"I'm relaxed."

"No, you aren't. What are you thinking about?"

Helena took a deep breath and sunk further down into the chair. She wasn't going to like this…

"--about you?" she finally mumbled. 

"What about me? We are talking about you, not me."

"Well…" Helena sighed and blushed. "I was thinking about you."

"Helena, thinkingof another person doesn't change the waves like this..please."

Alfred coughed and walked toward the elevator. "I'll see you later, madam."

"All right. Thanks, Alfred," Barbara returned her attention to the brunette, "Helena, it's late."

The dark haired woman exhaled noisily, wondering how a cyber genius could be so dumb sometimes. Even Alfred had understood! "I was thinking about you," she said again.

"I know, and I told you…"

"About you and me." Helena rolled her eyes, "Horizontal mambo? Baking cookies? Funky chicken? Hanky Panky?" Barbara blushed as hard as she could.

"Helena!"

"Well... you told me to relax," the young woman said.

"You can't be relaxed thinking of that."

"Barbara, sex relaxes me." She shrugged.

"God, this is so like you." The redhead covered her eyes. Helena removed the helmet from her head.

"Can we finish this? I'm bored."

"Yeah yeah," Barbara shook her head and stopped the record. This was so embarrassing. "I finished already, I just wanted one more as back up."

The brunette hopped lightly to the floor and went toward the work station.

"I can't believe you said that," the older woman said, organizing the data she had saved.

"Well, you asked." Helena stopped in front of her.

"Alfred was here." Barbara stopped her work and turned her head to look into blue eyes.

"He knew what I meant before you did."

Barbara narrowed her eyes and looked her. "Not true."

"Well, ask him why he left."

"Oh God…"Barbara felt the color of her skin turning as red as her hair. How the hell did Helena manage to make her blush so easily?

"Don't worry, he is family." She smiled. Barbara looked cute when she was blushing.

"I'll kill you one day."

"We don't kill, remember?" Barbara snorted and turned her work at the Delphi. She checked the results of all the information she had saved.

Helena knew she was in her Oracle mode. She stood next to her. She wanted to know about the results as much as the redhead.

"We did it…" the older woman mumbled with her eyes fixed on the monitor. "Before it was like a clock, every 12 hours you lost control of yourself…"

"It means am I clean now?"

Barbara smiled to her, "Yes." She took the young woman's shirt and pulled her down to give her a brief kiss. "I must go to work now, I have a meeting at four."

Helena kept leaning close to her, she frowned.

Barbara watched her and lifted her brow in question. "Something wrong?"

"No." Helena mumbled moving back."I was just… thinking."

"About?"

"I must go back to work… Leonard surely is not happy. The 'Helena is sick' excuse will not work much longer. I don't know if I will be free early tonight."

"Are you going to work? It's too soon."

"I want to go, I need to get back to my life, I need to do it."

Barbara nodded. She was right. "Will you come back here to sleep?" 

"Well… I would like to check my place," Helena waved her hand, "and Leonard might ask me to close… it could be late."

Closing the bar meant leaving at 3 or 4 in the morning. Knowing Helena, it was not an excuse. Barbara understood she needed time alone and smiled grabbing her hand. Helena had been through a difficult time. She wanted to show her that she supported her, that she loved her.

"I understand, don't worry. Soo…."

"So?" Helena asked.

"So, it will be a long time for me," Barbara elaborated, pulling her close. "We need a better goodbye kiss."

The brush of Helena's lips against hers was electric. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of full lips on hers. She parted her lips and shivered, feeling the burnette's tongue moving inside; Helena was so sweet, no one would believe that a wild woman like her could be so tender and delicate. She kissed so well….

"I'd love to stay." The brunette rested her forehead on Barbara's.

"Me too, but I must work."

Helena moved back, smirking, and rubbed their noses together. "You can work on me."

"Tempting, but I can't."

"I must be losing my charm. You are refusing me."

"Nah," Barbara chuckled, taking her chin in her hand and looking her straight in her eyes. "I'm just making this more interesting."

"All right." The dark haired woman hopped back and walked toward the elevator. "Just remember that I offered. Don't complain later."

Helena's smile disappeared as soon as the elevator doors closed. She rested against the back wall of it and looked at the ceiling. She felt like shit, maybe the spell had gone, but not her guilty feelings. It was hard to express what she was feeling.

She walked toward the bar. She wasn't in the mood to jump buildings or run. The streets were covered with a light blanket of snow. The cold air was good, it helped her to think.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	26. Chapter 26

The redhead dried her hair after taking a warm bath. She felt tired, she had slept only few hours over the last week. She was a bit restless about Helena, as well. She would love for her to stay. They'd both had some hard days and she could only think of having her close. She loved Helena. She always knew she needed to see her, she needed to be close to her, but she didn't know how much she loved her. Maybe it was because she had never thought about them as a couple.

She had surprised herself many times wanting touch that soft skin, caress strong muscles. She had felt her heart beat harder against her chest when she was close, or when she appeared with a new sexy outfit that left nothing to the imagination.

They hadn't had time to talk about it. Quinn really was a psycho bitch, as Helena had once said. She was now sure that her obsession with them would never end. She was definitely the perfect match for the Joker. She exhaled heavily. With Harley behind bars, she hoped they would now have time to talk about their relationship.

She wheeled out of the bathroom. She gasped in surprise when she saw the brunette sitting on the couch at the far end of the room, staring at her.

"Hel?" she asked. "I thought your shift at the bar ended late."

"I finished early." Helena played with the ring on her right hand as she lowered her gaze.

Barbara observed her, she didn't look like she was in good shape. She seemed to be worried, sad. She wheeled close to her bed, not losing visual contact with the younger woman. She set the towel on the bed.

"I wanted to see you," the brunette whispered.

The redhead smiled and waited. Helena seemed to want to talk. Something was clearly bothering her.

"I was with her," the brunette whispered, still not looking at Barbara.

Barbara felt a knot in her stomach. She was afraid to ask. "Quinn?"

Helena nodded, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. She knew this would piss Barbara off, but she would find out soon or later. It was best to just come clean.

"Reese helped me get in."

"Why?" Barbara's question was cold and sharp.

Helena took a few seconds before answering. "I needed to do it. I needed to see her, to face her."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I needed to do it alone."

"You could have told me."

The young woman exhaled heavily, she stood up and paced. She had been thinking of what to say and now she couldn't find the words. The redhead noticed she was distressed. Helena had faced something hard, she couldn't fault her for this.

"I'm sorry Helena, I didn't mean to…"

"Barbara..." the brunette rubbed her face in her hands, "I didn't mean to make you mad, it's just… I want you to understand, I needed to do it alone. I needed to talk with her, I needed to know…" she looked at the redhead with sadness. "I needed to know."

"She could be lying, you know that," Barbara said "She is lying to hurt you."

"And if she's not? What would you think?" the brunette stopped her pacing to look at her mentor.

"I don't care," Barbara answered with a firm voice. "It doesn't change who you are."

Helena lowered her head and nodded, exhaling noisily. "I know."

Barbara kept her eyes on the young woman. She crossed the fingers of her hands nervously. She closed her eyes for an instant, Helena was really brave to face that crazy woman again, after everything she had done. She was sure it hadn't been easy. She surely had tried to hurt her more.

"How do you feel now?" Barbara asked softly. "I mean… after visit Quinn."

Helena lifted her head and smiled lightly. "I can breathe now."

Barbara smiled back. "I'm glad to hear that."

"She told me many things and I understood that she can't hurt me anymore, she doesn't have control." She bit her lips. "I understood that she never…."

Barbara extended her hand and took the brunette's, she squeezed gently.

"…she never could have what is not hers." Helena mumbled, she lifted her hand and kissed the redhead's hand with such reverence that Barbara felt overwhelmed.

The older woman tried to pull her against her, but the dark woman moved back.

"Helena?"

The crime fighter put her hands over her head, turning her back to Barbara.

"What's wrong?" Barbara asked.

Helena never thought it would be so hard ask. "Did you love my mother?"

The question was a bit weird. Green eyes blinked, she didn't understand. "Of course."

"I want you to be honest." The brunette turned, feeling a terrible anguish in her heart. "I need to know…"

"Of course I loved your mom. She was an extraordinary person, one of my best friends. Why are you asking?"

Helena rubbed her face with her hands. "Barbara, I need to know, really. It's something that has been on my mind and I try not think about it, but I can't stop myself."

The older woman frowned, this was confusing. What was happening? Helena seemed to be all worked up over something, but she didn't have a clue about what it could be.

"Excuse me, Helena, but I don't understand. What did Quinn tell you?" she accused, voice subdued.

"It was not Harley."

The brunette kneeled in front of her, suddenly, and took her hands..

"Barbara… Did you and mom…?"

Emerald eyes were trapped in the intense gaze of deep blue eyes. She could read pain and fear, an intense fear. Suddenly, the pieces fell on its place. She opened her mouth, speechless. It took her a few seconds to coordinate her thoughts.

"Jesus, Helena!" Barbara exclaimed. "No, of course not, I loved your mom as a friend, not as…. Please!"

"Are you lying to me?"

"Helena, no! I would never lie to you. I loved your mom, yes, but as one of my best friends. Just that."

Helena felt her heart thumping against her chest in joy. "Really?"

Barbara cupped her face in her hands. "The only woman I have loved is you." She smiled and kissed Helena softly on her lips. "Who gave you that absurd idea?"

"It doesn't matter." Helena lifted her head to meet those wonderful lips again. The caress was light, soft, but intense and full of love, they lost all sense of time.

Anyone could say a kiss was a kiss, but with Helena, it was totally different. It was a magical moment, Helena mixed many emotions in one touch, making her tremble. She made her forget everything around her.

The dark woman moved back a few inches. She caressed Barbara's cheek with her knuckles "Are you sure you wanna try this? I mean… you and me?"

Barbara laughed lightly. "If that is your romantic way of asking me out, it's not what I was expecting."

Helena laughed. "I'm sorry. I just want you to be sure you want to date a girl..."

"I´m completely and totally sure, are you?"

"Forever." Helena moved forward, this time giving her soft kisses around her mouth. God, how much she loved this woman. Helena melted under the touch of her hands, feeling her breath against her skin. She loved her smell, the feeling of her skin under her fingers, it was wonderful to feel her tongue teasing, probing. She didn't think, slowly, she straddled the other woman's thighs pressing her body against her; she wanted to feel her close.

The redhead wrapped her arms around the younger woman, resting a hand on her neck and holding her thigh against her.

The brunette felt her body combusting, her heart racing. Barbara had been the queen of her dreams, her fantasies, she had been that star that she could see, but not touch. She blinked down at her. Barbara's smile warmed her, as she moved her hands slowly up and down her back. Helena snuggled closer, burrowing against her neck, as she put her arms around her and breathed her in.

The redhead laughed lightly, feeling the purr under her hands. She kissed the top of the brunette's head and, lazily, she kissed her eyebrow and her tongue shyly traced it. The young woman shivered under the touch. That wonderful mouth moved to her eyelids and a moment later down, Barbara's fingers grabbed her chin to lift her head and once again take her lips, sinking deeper into her, their tongues playing together.

She knew that Helena was not innocent, she had been a party girl all her life; a confident, conqueror. Barbara had heard about her romances and adventures. It was all a game for her and sometimes she doubted that Helena could really give her heart to someone, but something in her languid movements, in her touches, in her kisses made her feel that Helena was loving her, giving herself to her, her heart and her soul. The feeling of Helena's body reacting to her caress was incredible, she felt aroused. It was strange, she had never felt like this with anyone, she was damn close to not being able to form a coherent thought.

"Stay?" Barbara asked between kisses.

"Do you mind?" Helena mumbled, feeling terribly excited.

Barbara moved her hands over unruly dark hair, "I'll kick your ass if you don't…"

Helena leaned in and kissed her neck. "I love kinky…"

The redhead laughed and closed her eyes, enjoying the trace of a warm tongue over her throat. Her lips were magic.

Helena wrapped her arms around the older woman head, who arched her neck, moaning in pleasure. Her eyes snapped opened showing feral slits. That moan was something that sent her libido sky-high. She lowered her legs slowly to the floor, being careful to not lose contact with that marvelous body.

Damn, her knees were trembling. She moved one arm below the redhead's knees and put the other one behind her back. With a soft, fast movement ,she lifted her from her chair.

Before Barbara knew what was happening, she found herself resting on her bed, Helena on top of her. The redhead moved her hands under her partner's long coat , pushing it over her shoulders and off her arms, slowly. The brunette captured her lips again and threw the coat to the floor.

That was much better.

Barbara let her nails trace the muscles of the young woman's back. Helena growled and arched under the contact. She took Barbara's hands in hers and pushed them over her head. She let herself descend slowly and, with her fingers, she opened the older woman's legs to lie between the juncture of her thighs. She pressed her body against her and moved sinuously. The sensation was incredible; Barbara arched under the contact.

The brunette kissed her upper chest with tender kisses and, with a soft movement of her nose, she moved her bathrobe to the side.

"Hel…" Barbara gasped, cupping the young woman's head in her hands.

Helena kissed the white skin, she half opened her mouth and breathed. The tip of her tongue shyly tasted trembling muscles.

"Helena," Barbara tried to clear her throat.

The young woman didn't move and kept laving the creamy skin. She felt Barbara's hands pulling her up. She lifted her head to her to keep her attention.

"I love you," the brunette mumbled before trapping her lips again.

Definitely Helena was not in the mood to talk now and she understood why. Barbara found it hard to think straight with that wonderful mouth taking possession of her; she returned the kiss.

"Helena," she mumbled, "Helena, I don't know how to touch you… how to please you."

The dark head moved back a few inches and looked at her. Barbara could see her golden eyes shining, it was incredibly beautiful.

"I don't know what to do," Barbara whispered.

"Don't be afraid." Helena leaned down and kissed her. "Just let your feelings flow," she traced her fingers along her cheek, tracing her eyebrows, memorizing the look in her eyes, "Don't think. Make love, show me how much you love me." Once more she dipped down for a searing kiss and let her fingers trace the curves of the other woman's upper chest, mapping every corner, every muscle, wanting to memorize each inch, wanting to remember forever the feeling of that skin under her fingertips. "Let your heart speak," she whispered in her ear.

Barbara closed her eyes and focused just on the incredible sensations the young woman was creating over her. Every stroke, every kiss was so tender, as if she were a shy woman, but, at the same time, she was confident, knowing that every movement, every touch was increasing her libido and desire.

"Let me love you, let me touch you," Helena whispered, almost in an inaudible voice.

The older woman felt Helena's mouth nipping down her throat, licking across her collarbone. She didn't realize when Helena had removed her bathrobe leaving her totally nude. Helena dipped between her breasts until she found her belly. She traced the hollows of her stomach with her tongue. Her young lover was making magic over her skin.

The brunette took her time, tracing her abs with her tongue. She used her left hand to keep herself above the other woman and, with her right, she unbuttoned her blouse, throwing it to the side. With her arms on each side of the Barbara, she began to ghost kisses to her abdomen. She crawled up with a sluggish movement, taking care to rub her body against the redhead's. She felt her body on the edge, ready to explode, she bit her lips and took a few breaths before continuing her task. She wanted to pleasure Barbara. She knew how difficult it would be for her to feel an orgasm and she wanted to take her there with soft touches and caress, helping her forget her fears and be confident in this new experience.

Barbara held Helena's shoulders with her hands. The sensation of bare skin on her nude torso made Barbara's clit throb. It was impossible, but she could feel it. She could also feel Helena's body trembling under her fingers, she could feel her excitement. Green eyes opened lazily and noticed aroused cat pupils regarding her. Helena let her body fall smoothly, the contact of breast against breast made her groan; Helena then melded their lips in a tender and slow kiss.

The young woman began to rub against her with light movements, the redhead felt like her body was on fire. Helena was incredible. She let the sensations flowing over her body control her. Helena had said it, let your heart speak.

The young woman's mouth was on her neck. She felt Helena snuggling against her side and resting her now wet, warm core against her. The brunette's hips rocked against her, her small fingers traced the lines of her breasts and softly touching her nipples... It was electric, Helena was so excited, just to be with her. The pulsing between her legs increased.

Being a crime fighter through the years had taught Oracle to remain controlled, to analyze every possibility before reacting. She'd never felt as she did now -- her brain was totally numb. The sensation was marvelous; it was like being in a world where only she and Helena existed. The movements of the young woman increased, searching to reach a crest. Her warm mouth enveloped Barbara's breast, the older woman arched in pleasure. She grabbed the dark head with both hands to hold her tight.

"Helena…" she gasped, noticing the young woman's right hand moved toward the juncture of her legs; the sensation disappeared below her waist. It took her great effort to half open her eyes and look below. Helena was rubbing her with her hand.

"Tell me…" the brunette gasped, "if you feel…"

She could still feel the phantom sensation of the blood pulsing hard against her clit. She closed her eyes, imagining Helena's fingers on her. "Keep going…" she mumbled in a barely audible voice.

Helena's movements turned erratic.

Barbara felt her mind explode at the same time she heard Helena crying out her name and burying her head to her neck. Lights exploded around her; her body and mind melted under the incredible force of her climax.

* * *

When Helena woke, she had a strange feeling of happiness and tranquility, something she hadn't felt in a long time, maybe years. Her nostrils caught a familiar, but different, scent. It was Barbara's essence… mixed with her scent, sweat and sex. She smiled feeling the gentle scratch of long nails on her scalp and the sensation of a warm body under her. It made her heart thump harder, she was not dreaming. She rubbed her cheek against the soft breast under her.

"Morning, lazy cat." She heard Barbara's voice .

"Mmmmm." It was hard to wake up after all the activity last night. They'd made love at least two times more after the first incredible climax. She was also pretty certain that she had orgasmed at least two additional times in her sleep, dreaming of Barbara.

The redhead laughed lightly. "I'll take that as a good morning."

The dark head bobbed and she felt a warm mouth kissing her chest lightly. Helena curled to her side, snuggled closer.

"Did you know that you purred all night?"

The sleepy face lifted a few inches to look at the older woman. "Oh, sorry…."

"Don't be." Barbara bent forward to kiss her lips softly, "I loved it."

"Good, because I can't stop it when I'm with you," the brunette mumbled, finding Barbara's lips again. She felt her body tremble under the touch, her libido growing rapidly. It was incredible that a kiss could cause such sensations.

"It was wonderful," Barbara mumbled, moving back a few inches. "You make me feel like no one ever has before."

"And you are my first and only love." Helena hugged her, kissing her neck, "I have been waiting for you all my life, I thought I would never be able to tell you how much I love you, to show you how much I love you."

Barbara returned the embrace, feeling the overwhelming sensation of Helena's nude body against her.

"But I still think I need… to learn to love you… to touch you."

"You did an excellent job last night," a playful voice purred in her ear. "Wanna practice a bit more?"

Barbara laughed hard. "I'd love to, but I can't ,sweetheart. School."

"Mfffppp." Helena grumbled, burying her head on her neck. "I hate school."

"You've always hated it."

"But now I hate it more than ever."

Barbara patted her ass cheeks, "Come on, I must shower now or I'll be late."

Helena's head snapped up, smiling. "Good, can I join you?"

"No."

"Why not?" the brunette frowned.

"Because." Barbara kissed her quickly, "You are a terrible temptation and I really need to go to work today. I have a meeting with the principal."

"I can call them and tell them you are sick."

"No way." The red head lifted her eyebrow. "But If you want, we can practice more tonight."

"Really?" blue eyes sparkled.

"Yes, but only if you move."

"Just because you said the magic words." Helena rolled to the side.

TO BE CONTINUED


	27. Chapter 27

Barbara gave the last student his exam.

"Well done," she said to him before he exited the room.

She wheeled to the board and began to erase it. When she finished, she turned to pick up her things. She looked at her watch, almost three. The day had been slow, really slow, and she wanted it to be four, so she could go back to Clock Tower and see Helena. She smiled widely, remembering the events of the last night. She never thought it would be so incredible to be with her young, energetic partner.

She seemed to never tire. But she knew she still needed to learn to love her. She had physical limitations and she still didn't understand how Helena had touched her in a way that had sent her over the edge three times last night. She wanted do the same, to learn her sensitive spots, to touch her. Definitely, she needed to do some empirical research on the web and buy some books.

"Miss Gordon, could you help me with this paper? It's a bit lacking."

The redhead turned and smiled. "Hey."

"Heya." Helena stepped inside, carrying a paper bag in her hand.

"I didn't expect you."

"I thought you might be hungry, school food sucks." She stopped in front of her mentor and looked around. Nobody was close; she leaned down and gave a quick kiss.

Barbara arched brow.

"I don't want people to see us," Helena said, answering her interrogative look. She gave her the bag. "I bring you tuna salad and juice."

"Oh, excellent." The redhead opened her bag. "The hamburger and muffins are mine." "You don't have problems with calories I see." She handed the burger to the brunette.

"I know how to burn them fast." The brunette winked, biting into the burger.

"I know. I forgot to ask you how work went." The redhead took her fork and opened the salad container.

Helena grinned and leaned over the desk. "Ask me and I can make you forget many other things." She bit another piece of her burger.

The redhead cocked her head, munching her salad calmly. "Things like that homecoming game?"

Helena blinked and stopping chewing. "What?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full."

"Oh…" the brunette gulped.

"Remember?" Barbara waved her hand, "A hot dog, the school mascot?"

"You know about that?" Blue eyes looked at her, puzzled. Helena felt her face flushing.

"Mmm… this salad is great." She took another bite.

"Why didn't you ever tell

me?" Helena asked.

"Why? I guess it was embarrassing enough for you. Everybody knew about your flying hot dog. It was the topis of all conversation for two months." She put a bit more salad in her mouth.

"Oh God…" the brunette covered her eyes.

"What? Everybody remembers you for it."

"Believe me, I'd prefer not to be remembered for that." Helena put a french fry in her mouth.

"Want a bit?" Barbara offered a forkful of salad. "It's pretty good."

"No, thanks, it will ruin my effort to eat calories."

"I see, tons of them."

"I'm growing." The brunette smiled, biting into her burger again.

"Yes, yes."

"Well, whatever." Helena sipped her coke and cleaned her fingers with a napkin. "I must go now, I have work, I promised Leonard I'd be nice."

"Be nice?"

"Yes, you know… be on time, help him with work. He asked me to help him today with some stuff in storage."

"I can't believe this. You are being nice to him?"

"I needed to promise be nice so he will let me work again."

"Do you really love that job?" Barbara narrowed her eyes.

"I hate to admit it, but yes, I love it." Helena shrugged her shoulders. "It's fun, I can listen to good music, meet people, hot guys, girls."

Barbara coughed lightly.

"Well… that was before you were my girlfriend…" Helena suddenly straightened, taking her hand, "Because you are my girlfriend, right?"

Barbara stared at her, she hadn't thought of that. Helena was very independent, free. It was a disconcerting question coming from her. "Well…"

"You are the most important thing in my life, Barbara," the brunette purred.

The redhead felt her heart melt and smiled squeezing her fingers. "For me as well, Helena."

"So you are my girlfriend and I'm your girlfriend," Helena said happily, standing up. She gave Barbara a fast kiss before walking toward the door. "You are very lucky, I'm a woman with unknown and fascinating abilities."

"Do you have unknown abilities?" Barbara said amused. "Believe me, I know all about you."

"Oh no, you will be amazed when you discover what I'm capable of doing." The young woman grinned, resting her shoulder on the doorframe. 

"Are you bluffing again?"

"No, you really will be surprised to find out what I'm capable of."

Barbara laughed, "Yes, definitely, you are bluffing."

"Miss Gordon…" A guy appeared suddenly at the door.

Helena put her hand on his chest and pushed him back gently, "Give us five minutes, go to buy some ice cream. I must discuss a topic with your professor." She closed the door behind her and locked it.

The brunette looked at her a few seconds in silence. Barbara felt for a second that she had asked the wrong question. Helena smirked, her gaze was different, it was one of a predator. The dark haired woman suddenly walked toward her slowly, taking her time; she looked like a panther-- a panther stalking her prey. She was breathtaking, her pants plastered to her body like a second skin, a blouse that had a cut in the middle and let her admire her firm abdominals. Her mouth was dry.

Helena stood in front of her and rested her hands on the arms of her chair. Her eyes moved slowly examining the redhead's face slowly. Barbara was nervous. She was not used to that kind of scrutiny. The brunette leaned in, moving her cheek so close to hers, but not touching, just letting the fine hairs of her skin brush against her. It send chills down Barbara's spine. Then, she could felt her warm breath on her neck, she was scenting her. Helena was utterly still, just taking her time and breathing her scent.

"You always smell so good, mmmmm." Helena whispered after seconds that seemed like long minutes.

The brunette's movements were sensual, cautious. Barbara could feel Helena's breath on the back of her ear; she closed her eyes trying to absorb all the movements of the dark woman. She hadn't touched her yet, but with her tenuous breath, she had turned her skin more sensitive than she had ever had felt. She ached to be touched, her heart beating as fast as if she had run ten miles.

"I can make all your dreams come true," Helena purred in her ear and opened her mouth again.

The warm breath made Barbara shiver and moan. What was she doing to her? Helena's head lifted slowly toward Barbara's temple. She opened her mouth and inhaled deeply, she began to lower her head slowly.

"If you want," the young woman mumbled, almost brushing her eyes with her lips, "I'll take you to the moon, then," she moved lower, her mouth a few inches of Barbara's, "you choose the most brilliant star in the sky and I'll give it to you."

The warm mouth breathed so close to her lips, that Barbara unconsciously parted her lips. Her heart pounding harder by the second, so hard that she was sure Helena could hear it easily. She opened dazed green eyes and she discovered she was pinned by golden cat eyes.

"If you want to touch the clouds," the dark haired woman said, with a barely audible voice, " tell me which one you like, and I'll bring it to you. Ask me anything and I'll do it. If you want the heavens, I'll bring the heavens for you."

Barbara looked at the brunette's lips panting a few inches from hers. "Kiss me."

Helena grinned and shook her head slowly.

"Hel?"

"I'll see you later." The dark haired woman moved back.

"Hel!" Barbara said, exasperated. 

"Be on time for sweeps." She walked toward the door and unlocked it.

"But…."

Helena turned and winked at her. "See you, beautiful."

Barbara couldn't believe what was transpiring.

"She's all yours," The dark haired woman said to the guy standing a few feet from the door. She waved her hand back. "See you then professor. It's a date."

Astonished, the redhead couldn't find a word to say. When she came back to her senses, Helena was gone. How was it possible that Helena had just done that? It was… evil, yes, it was evil and… and oh damn. She had made feel her so… so excited and then she had left. What the…?

"Miss Gordon?" the guy at the door asked.

"What?" she growled. The guy stepped back.

"Sorry, I'll come back later."

TO BE CONTINUED

* * *


	28. Final

**thanks so much for your post and comments, feedback was cool. I hope you had enjoy this fic as much as I. Thanks too to my editor Nightstalker!! She rocks!!**

* * *

Cuddling with Helena was a heavenly feeling. The peace that filled the bedroom was a sharp contrast to all the events of the last few days. Dinah had gone on a weekend camping trip and Barbara had decided to take a few days to rest after the past several stressful weeks. She was reading a book, her cheek resting against the brunette's head and one arm wrapped around the brunette's waist. Her other hand held the book. Helena was distracted, watching television.

"The devil wears Prada" was a light comedy that Helena loved. First, for Anne Hathaway and, second, for the fashionable clothes on the film .Helena had been laughing. It was music to her ears, she was so relaxed, she loved Helena's laugh, she loved knowing she had found some peace.

1984, by George Orwell, was a dystopian novel, set in a world beyond our imagining. Barbara found it interesting. The book described a world where totalitarianism really was total, with all power split into three, roughly equal groups--Eastasia, Eurasia, and Oceania. _1984_ was set in Oceania, which included the United Kingdom, where the story was more specifically set, in an area known as Airstrip One.

The book was pretty interesting, but she couldn't focus on it. She had tried for the last fifteen minutes, but with Helena so close, it was not easy. She inhaled deeply, the soft aroma of Helena's hair, made her body warm. The fingers of her hand, resting on Helena's waist, had been scratching the young woman's stomach lightly. Helena's skin under her fingers felt so good. She kissed the brunette's head and again tried to focus her attention on the book.

Winston Smith was a middle-aged, unhealthy character, based loosely on Orwell's own frail body, an underling of the ruling oligarchy, The Party. The Party has taken early 20th century totalitarianism to new depths, with each person subjected to twenty-four hour surveillance, where people's very thoughts are controlled to ensure purity of the oligarchic system in place. Figurehead of the system is the omnipresent and omnipotent Big Brother.

The young woman stirred and let her head rest on the redhead's shoulder. Barbara lifted her head a bit before resting her cheek on Helena's head. Her hand, that had been making small circles on the brunette's abdomen, traced the hard abs. She closed her eyes and tried to memorize each inch-- it was a fascinating combination of soft skin and hard muscles. She rubbed her cheek lightly against her hair. Her scent was overwhelming to her senses, a mixture of softness and wild nature. She blinked, she was distracted again. She lifted the book to eye level.

Winston had dreamt of his mother. He dreamt of his mother and sister who along with his father whom he remembered more vaguely had been exterminated in one of the famous Party "purges". He realized that in some unfathomable way, his mother and sister had died for him; they had died so that he could go on living. Always in his dreams, he saw them in a deep grave or well and he felt that they were there so that he could be up on the surface.

Barbara's hand moved upward, tracing the skin below Helena's lower breast. The young woman's muscles trembled under her touch. The shiver went straight to her core. She let her fingers play, moving them softly back and forth, brushing, caressing the tender skin. She felt her arousal grow.

Another landscape entered Winston's dream, a sunny pastoral land with a brook which he always felt he had seen somewhere in childhood but could ever place accurately. The girl he had noticed at work during yesterdays' Hate came into the landscape and flung off her clothes in a grand gesture.

Barbara could feel Helena's purring through her fingers. She loved having Helena so close, it was an indescribable sensation to hold such strong woman, who felt so small and vulnerable in her arms. Her index finger toyed with the bottom of her bra, moving between fabric and skin.

Her body was beautiful, but it was not her body that Winston looked at in his dream, it was the symbolism of the gesture that attracted him.

Barbara lowered the book and closed her eyes. She rubbed her cheek against dark, unruly hair. Her hand moved confidently through Helena's breast and caressed it. She wanted to touch more. The tempo of Helena's breath changed and she arched when she pressed her hand into the firm flesh.

Helena's head turned to her and she was lost in the vision of red lips in front of her.

To the hell with the book.

She kissed Helena, wrapping her arms around the brunette's back to hold her hard against her. Her kiss was not gentle, she wanted to consume the other woman, take her, mark her as hers. She didn't know how, but when she returned, somewhat, to her senses, she had pinned her young partner against the bed. The touch of Helena's tongue against her was fuel, combusting the blood in her veins. She grabbed the young woman's hair with her hands and deepened the kiss. She let her tongue move, discovering each inch of the brunette's mouth, each corner. She marveled as her tongue learned the different textures and flavors of her mouth, discovering the different ways Helena's body moved under her with every touch.

She lowered her head to her tender neck and opened her mouth to breathe her in, the temptation was too much and she softly licked the hollow of her throat. The flavor was heavenly, with a hint of salt. She heard Helena's gasp and she moved up slowly, lavishing careful attention to the skin below her, while her right hand moved to cup a round breast. Her hand moved in circles over the soft mound and her fingers found a nipple.

Helena slid her hands over the redhead's shoulders and pulled her against her body, loving the feel of the woman's body pressing against hers. She growled at the touch and she covered lush lips with her own. Something electric skittered across Helena's skin, raising the fine hair on her arms and sending her blood rushing through her veins.

Barbara had always thought that Helena's fashion sense frequently involved wearing just enough to cover the essentials, but at this moment, she felt the woman was wearing way too many clothes.

The sound of ripping fabric made the brunette's clit throb hard against her pants. She gasped, opening her eyes wide when she felt a warm mouth enveloping her right breast. She arched her back. God. She was in heaven. The brunette felt Barbara was carrying her to unknown, incredible levels of pleasure. Just the thought of knowing the older woman was her touching her, sent her libido soaring. She moved her hands to caress Barbara's breast, but the redhead arrested her movement, grabbing her wrist and placing it above her head.

"No, it's my night," the redhead whispered to her.

Helena always was the one taking the lead but, hell, it felt marvelous to let Barbara drive the car, and she was not going to object to it.

Green eyes, filled with lust, were fixed on the brunette's. The young woman had never seen that look in her partner-- lusty, passionate, prurient, lascivious. She felt her arousal hit the stratosphere. Barbara leaned in, covering their faces with a curtain of red hair. Barbara trapped her lips again to give her a passionate kiss.

The redhead was frantic to explore her sweet body, she wanted so much to touch, to taste. Her lips traced Helena's neck, leaving little nips along the way. She could felt the young woman's pulse throbbing when she bit her pulse point gently and her fingers played with a firm, erect nipple. She then, with her mouth, traced the contour of Helena's jaw with soft nibbles, until she found her ear. Barbara's tongue moved inside, exploring, searching. She smiled to herself, hearing Helena's gasps and feeling shaking muscles under her.

At that point she realized that she, too, was wearing too many clothes and, with an incredibly fast movement, she removed her t-shirt. Barbara placed her mouth over Helena's right breast and began to apply suction to it, flicking her tongue on her nipple while she unclasped her own bra and threw it behind her.

The brunette growled, entwining her fingers in soft, long hair, pulling her tightly to her breast. She maneuvered their bodies with her hands and settled one of Barbara's legs between her own. Helped with her hand, she began to rock slowly against Barbara's thigh.

With incredible lust controlling her instincts, Barbara was lost in the feeling of a hard nipple on her lips. She suckled harder, making Helena cry out and tremble in pleasure. The sensations flowing in her body were just so different to any other she had experienced. So exciting, so overwhelming, she could only think of touching, licking, kissing, biting that marvelous body beneath her. Her hands roamed over the young woman's thin frame.

The redhead sucked her breast once more before moving down her torso to explore. She removed to the remains of Helena's blouse. The dark crime fighter's abs felt incredible when Barbara caressed them with the tip of her tongue. Her fingers traced the outlines of her hips and stopped at the waistband of her pants.

Helena's head was spinning, she didn't know where Barbara had learned to touch like that, but she kept her on fire. It had never been so hard to think, to organize her thoughts. She gasped at the feeling of Barbara's tongue playing in her navel. Her clit was throbbing with such force that it seemed it would explode. She needed her there. The sound of the zipper of her pants lowering was the most erotic sound she had ever heard.

Helped by the strength of her arms, Barbara lifted herself up again. In a blink, she was close to those fantastic golden eyes clouded in a fog of pleasure.

"I love you," the redhead mumbled before kissing her again and pressing her breast against Helena's hard nipples. The brush of their bodies made both moan. Barbara was lost in her desire to consume this wild woman in her need, in her love for her, she pressed her body harder against her.

But she wanted more. Her hand slipped down, into the dark woman's pants.

The brunette cried and bucked when long fingers touched her most intimate area, her eternal dream to be touched by the older woman was real. She rolled her hips when Barbara moved her fingers slowly, teasing around her clit.

The redhead found her fingers coated in Helena's warm honey, it enflamed her senses and she moved her fingers harder against the young woman's clit.

"Yes." Helena bit her lips and wrapped her arms around the older woman's shoulders.

Barbara moved her hand farther down and let her fingers tease the brunette's entrance, but her movements were restrained by the tight pants.

"Remove these…" Barbara whispered in Helena's ear , tugging on her pants.

She didn't need to say it twice. With a graceful movement, the young woman was totally nude.

Barbara chuckled and kissed her, her right hand moved again toward the juncture of Helena's legs. She caressed the warm area with her fingers in slow circles. She lifted her eyes and noticed the ecstasy in the brunette's face; her feral eyes staring wide at the ceiling, lost in pleasure.

She moved a finger inside and trapped a round breast in her mouth. Helena cried, arching her torso, trying not to buck hard against the older woman.

Barbara's index began to penetrate her slowly, moving back and forth until it was fully inside. Then, she began to thrust into her. Helena moved her hips trying to match her, when the redhead felt they had found the rhythm, she added a second finger, while her thumb traced circles around her clit.

Their bodies danced in the rhythm of an erotic dance of love, surrounded by amorous whispers and moans. Helena's abdomen contracted against Barbara's fingers, it was so exciting. The vision her lover woman lost in pleasure was fantastic. Barbara buried her head in the hollow of Helena's neck and bit her shoulder, increasing the penetration, moving her fingers faster.

"Harder…" The brunette felt her orgasm coming like an incredible avalanche. She moaned when Barbara's fingers curled inside her, finding that inner spot that made her lose her mind. Barbara was taking her, marking her as hers.

Her climax was mind blowing. Throbbing lights filled her vision and her entire body trembled in ecstasy. Her finger nails buried into the older woman's back as her cry of pleasure filled the room.

She didn't know how long she was out. She was still trying to recover her breath when she sensed a warm breath on her inner thighs. She blinked. Lifting her head took effort. All her limbs and muscles were liquefied. Barbara was between her legs, kissing and rubbing her face against the skin.

"Barbara…" the brunette dragged her words out, "wait..."

Crap. It was hard to talk- she moved her hand toward the older woman's head. "Barbara… let me…"

Barbara leaned in, catching the scent of the highly aroused brunette, it was intoxicating.

The next thing the dark haired woman felt was Barbara's tongue giving a long, sensual lick against her sex. She gasped, "Barbara... I don't think... I can come now..."

The redhead didn't seem to hear her because she kept on her task. It appeared she was serious about the "It's my night" thing.

Barbara teased her with slow strokes, marveled at the new taste she was discovering. She parted Helena's lower lips with her tongue and indulged herself. Her own body shuddered in ecstasy and she felt her own sex throbbing.

The sensation of soft lips kissing her most intimate area was overwhelming. Helena gripped the pillow below her head with her hands and bit her lips.

Helena was amazed to find her body reacting. Barbara found her clit and took it in her lips. She rubbed it with her tongue, making Helena's lust rise like a Phoenix from the ashes. Barbara claimed to not be skilled in the art of making love to a woman, but, hell, it didn't seem to be a problem for her. She seemed knew how touch her most sensitive spots and drive her insane. She didn't want to imagine what the redhead could do to her when she learned more and became skillful in the art of lovemaking. Barbara kept working on her engorged clitoris and sucked on the tender flesh at its base.

The movements make Helena orgasm suddenly.

Barbara smiled, feeling the shudder in the young woman's muscles. The taste and the knowledge that she was giving Helena pleasure had her on the edge, too.

Barbara moved lower and licked the salty honey flowing from the brunette's sex. She gently applied her lips and tongue to the swollen lips, grazing her throbbing clitoris with the tip of her nose.

"Ba…bar… Barbara…" Helena babbled her name, noticing the redhead didn't have any intention of stopping. "Oh God…"

Barbara cupped her entire sex with her mouth, sucking.

Helena bucked, amazed by the other woman's eagerness.

The redhead thrust her tongue in her. The sudden penetration made Helena gasp and she felt her lust invading her body again with an incredible force. She never thought she could climax so hard, so many times, but Barbara's tongue was marvelous, heavenly. She spread her legs to her and surrendered to all the emotions and feelings flowing through her body. She took Barbara's head between her hands, pressing her into her.

This time Barbara became more demanding—tasting, probing, deepening her muscle inside her. She didn't want be gente, she wanted to take, to devour her. She used her fingers to thrust again. Two fingers slid easily into Helena. She was wet, very wet. The brunette bucked and moaned. The older woman observed for minutes in fascination how her digits slid inside so easily. She felt her own lust increasing, and her own orgasm coming, just at touching her. She added a third finger, that slipped inside smoothly.

She leaned in, closed her lips against Helena's clit and sucked it hard. At the time, she increased the tempo of the thrusting. She could feel the young woman's orgasm coming again. It didn't take too long, just a few strokes more. She used her left hand to push herself forward and kiss Helena at the time that her orgasm broke, sudden and violent. Helena exploded and cried with her in an overwhelming and wild rush of pleasure that made her pass out.

Barbara could only pant, her whole body felt like butter. She let her head fall over the young woman's neck as she closed her eyes. Almost immediately, she fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

A bright light hit her eyes, waking her up. She wasn't in a mood to wake, she felt really comfortable in her warm, soft bed. Her nostrils caught the scent immediately. She was holding Helena in a firm embrace. The night before had been wonderful; she still didn't know what force had made her take her young partner with that strength and passion. She had never felt so overwhelmed by her own feelings, maybe it was the first time she had let her emotions control her reactions.

And it had been the most pleasant experience in her entire life.

However, she didn't understand how she had come to be on her back with Helena curled on top of her.

She pressed her lips to the brunette's forehead, close to her eyebrow. She felt so good, so full of life, of energy. Making love with Helena was something that she couldn't explain with words, it was beyond her reason; Helena made her feel complete, a woman.

The brunette blinked sleepily. It took her a few moments to realize where she was. She lifted her deep blue eyes to meet green and smiled at the redhead with what was probably a very goofy, dumb smile. Crap, it was hard to connect her brain to reality. What had Barbara done to her? She had blown up her mind as no one had ever done before. Her body felt like liquid and was trying to return to its normal shape. She never thought Barbara would be such a dominant and incredibly passionate lover. And heck, she really had loved it.

"Hi…" Barbara laughed lightly, noticing her young partner still was on the post-climax awakening. She let her fingers caress black bangs.

The brunette lifted her head and her lips looked for Barbara's mouth. She wanted to show her that she was her heart, her soul, her desire, her love. Her muscles trembled in excitement; she moved back and rested her head against Barbara's shoulder.

"Morning," she mumbled, kissing her sternum.

"Slept well?"

"Fantastic… but" she lifted her head again, staring at her with a concerned face. Suddenly, she felt guilty, all night Barbara had touched her and she hadn't been able to give her pleasure. "You didn't…"

"I did, believe me," Barbara laughed, scratching her scalp.

"But I didn't touch you."

"It gave me a lot of pleasure to touch you, Hel..." Barbara pulled her against her to kiss her again. The feeling of Helena's bare skin rubbing against her, made her libido wake again.

Helena moved to kiss Barbara's neck. Her tongue traced her earlobe before searching for her eyes.

"Do you know?" she whispered. Her gaze traced the fine curve of Barbara's face, trying to convince herself she was not dreaming once more. "You are my first."

"Hel…" Slender fingers silenced her. Barbara was pinned by amazing violet pupils. She knew Helena always had a very active sexual life; but it didn't bother her. She just knew she loved this woman and that she loved her now, in the present.

"You are the first person that I have made love to." Helena's knuckles reverently touched her face. "I've had lots of people in my bed before, but I was trying to find you in all of them. You've been my only and deepest love, and I had sex, but had never made love. No one has ever made love to me as you had done… you are my first and only. I love you."

Their lips met in a kiss that melted Barbara's heart, Helena was giving all of herself to her in that small caress. The soft kisses soon shifted to a passionate exchange of love.

* * *

Barbara hummed in the kitchen, pouring warm coffee into her favorite mug. The weekend had been incredible and really pleasant. She and Helena were alone, having time just for themselves. No school, no patrolling, no worries. She didn't remember the last time she had felt so relaxed and happy. She was thinking seriously about doing this more often.

Helena was an incredible lover. Barbara had enjoyed the young woman's body, discovering her sensitive points. It was the most intense empirical research she had done in her life, but she didn't have the opportunity to try it again. Helena took the lead and she had sent her to heaven, her strong, wild personality was a contrast with her tender and soft way of making love to her, and she hadn't given her opportunity to take the lead again.

Now she needed revenge. She licked her lips. And she wanted it to be as soon as possible.

"Good morning, Miss Barbara," she heard the old butler's voice behind her.

"Hey, Alfred." She turned her head, smiling.

He put an envelope over the table. "This was in the mailbox. Nice weekend?"

"Yes, pleasant. Thanks," she said, turning around to face him. She set her coffee mug on the dinner table.

"Miss Helena is feeling better?" he asked, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.

"Oh… she is doing pretty well." She sipped a bit of coffee and took the envelope, "I'm very proud of her. She has dealt well with everything that happened. I know she still needs to work a bit more on it, but right now she is great.

"I'm glad for her," he said smiling. "She is a great girl. She deserves to be happy, as do you."

She laughed lightly. "I am, you know it."

"But I guess you are more now…" He winked at her before turning to the fridge to get some vegetables.

The redhead blushed furiously and arrested her movements. Damn. Had she been so obvious?

He closed the door and noticed her stupefied face. He smiled.

"Do… do you know?" she asked, almost whispering.

"I just know I'm glad you both finally accepted your feelings."

"Do you read minds like Dinah?" Barbara frowned at him.

"Oh no, Miss Helena called me up yesterday morning," he answered, taking a knife from the drawer.

The redhead spewed her coffee. Alfred hurried to give her a napkin.

She coughed repeatedly. "She.. she called you? Why??"

"Well, she asked me to help her to get some groceries and food. It seems your fridge was empty again and she wanted to make breakfast for you." He paused.

"Of course, I didn't want her to kill you, so I prepared the breakfast."

Barbara swallowed. She remembered the day before when Helena, covered only by her bathrobe had rushed out of the room, asking her to stay because she was going to make her breakfast in bed. She had taken the opportunity to take a long shower.

Thirty minutes later, Helena returned with an elegant breakfast, complete with a flower. Oh God.

"I hope you had enjoyed it," he said.

"It was delicious." She couldn't deny it, "Thanks, Alfred, really it was delicious. I was wondering when Helena had learned to cook."

"I doubt seriously that she will ever learn."

"Agreed," she said, opening the envelope.

"I was thinking of preparing pasta and beef for lunch, would be okay with you?" He began to cut a tomato in slices. When he didn't hear Barbara answer, he lifted his head to see she was staring at a white piece of paper she had just taken out of the envelope. "Miss Barbara?"

She looked at him with a worried expression.

"Something is wrong?"

She bit her lips and swallowed, feeling her throat dry. She extended the paper in her hands and set it on the table. He took it in his hands. It was a picture. He felt a shiver running through his body. Definitely, someone had used Photoshop, but that knowledge did not make it less frightening.

It was one of the Joker's photos of Barbara from the night that he had shot her. She was lying on the floor, bleeding and naked. Helena was now standing next to Barbara's fallen body. Quinn was behind the brunette, her arms wrapped in a warm embrace around her waist.

THE END


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